Police reform augurs well for Himachal
HIMACHAL Pradesh is set to usher in a change for its police force. The newly introduced Himachal Pradesh Police Amendment Bill 2024 proposes transitioning police constables from a district cadre to a state cadre. This means that instead of individual districts conducting their own recruitments, a state-level Police Recruitment Board will handle this job. This is in line with the practice followed by states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Supporters aver that centralised recruitment insulates the process from parochial pressures and ensures a more uniform and transparent means of selecting police personnel. A centralised exam eliminates the advantage held by candidates residing near district recruitment centres. The arm’s length process also opens the door to a larger talent pool to recruit from. Others, though, feel that it does nothing to level the playing field as urban candidates often have the benefit of better education and accessible coaching facilities than rural folk.
The new amendment also allows for the subordinate police to be deployed outside their district anywhere in the state. Normally, they would stay put in the district they had been recruited from. This has always sparked a debate, with both potential benefits and drawbacks for recruitment, ground-level policing and the constabulary itself.
Proponents argue that a single state cadre for police constables allows for more efficient man management. The government can easily transfer officers to address manpower shortages, respond to emergencies and quickly redress vacancies or gluts across districts as circumstances demand. Quick and fluid deployment is particularly valuable in a state with seasonal tourist influxes.
On the other hand, there is concern that the much used and abused power to shift biased, corrupt or otherwise ‘inconvenient’ personnel from one place to another, while touted as being in aid of administrative necessity, will tighten executive and legislative hold over the establishment and tend to increase the chance of politicisation.
Nevertheless, the change addresses a long-standing grievance of the constabulary: limited promotion prospects within a district cadre. A state cadre system offers more opportunities for advancement, as constables can compete for promotions anywhere across the state. This could boost morale and incentivise better performance. A side benefit: it may reduce litigation born out of perceived injustice in promotions and the like.
The flip side is the potential disruption to personal lives. Constables transferred to new districts often face challenges finding accommodation and adjusting to unfamiliar cultural environments. This could create a sense of instability and distances can fracture family lives and children’s education.
However, inter-district transfers are much more prone to the dangers of familial disruption and disorientation in large states than a compact one like Himachal. Unlike in big and heavily urbanised states, some of these risks may be minimal in Himachal’s case. Police housing arrangements already involve a mix of Police Lines, government-provided housing and private residences. Housing is more easily available and affordable than in big metropolises. Thoughtful postings that send personnel to districts closest to where their families stay could go a long way in maintaining work-life balance.
Concerns also exist about the impact on community policing. Critics argue that constables stationed outside the communities they have been born and brought up in may lack the cultural understanding and local knowledge necessary to effectively engage with new communities. This could hinder trust-building and communication, essential for effective ground-level policing.
To foster better police-public relations, some police stations in Himachal have already initiated community policing forums, elsewhere beat policing in specific areas help establish more stable engagement and frequent awareness programmes. Regular meetings and workshops help dispel misconceptions.
However, in its best avatar, community policing is much more than transactional engagement between police and population. It requires the police individual to be deeply invested in the wellbeing, peace and safety of that community because they live there, their children study there and their families work there. In many jurisdictions it is a condition of employment that personnel live within or very close to the communities they serve. The idea that police should live in Police Lines may sound like a perk of position but in fact it is truly a colonial legacy born out of the rulers need to isolate a native cohort designed for oppression from its natural habitat and become reliant on the ‘ruler’. This relic of distrust of lower ranks continues to inform todays policing to its detriment and should be done away with.
In relation to policing, the 2022 India Justice Report ranks Himachal fifth out of seven small states. This is down from the second place in 2020. Contributing factors include relatively low spending on police, especially on training, persistent vacancy levels among officers and constables and little improvement in gender diversity.
Himachal is a tranquil state, with a relatively low crime rate and an economy heavily reliant on tourism. These circumstances augur well for furthering the idea of turning the police from a force into a service. While the recent amendment addressing constable cadre and service conditions is a positive step, true transformation requires a comprehensive approach. By prioritising appropriate training, filling crucial vacancies and enhancing diversity, Himachal has a new opportunity to align police wellbeing with the needs of the communities they serve. This approach not only promises to improve the state’s policing system but also positions Himachal as a model for other states, showcasing how proactive reforms, community engagement and a focus on personnel welfare can create a more effective and accountable police force.
