People don’t trust systems, they trust those behind them, says new DGP

Author, podcaster, sports administrator and a close relative of the late actor, Sushant Singh, OP Singh — the new top cop in Haryana— wears many hats. A native of Jamui district in poll-bound Bihar, the IPS officer of the 1992 batch, Singh is currently holding three crucial leadership roles — Haryana Narcotics Control Bureau head, Director of the Forensic Science Laboratory (Madhuban), and Managing Director of the Haryana Police Housing Corporation.

“People don’t trust systems. They trust the people behind them,” said Singh, as he promised to build trust-based policing rooted in listening, community engagement and responsible innovation.

Having won the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service (2008) and President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service (2017), Singh likes to experiment with innovative policing methods.

Policing is not his only forte. As Principal Secretary (Sports), he won hearts by introducing the Sports and Physical Aptitude Test (SPAT). The merit-based, mass-participation framework to identify and nurture sporting talent across the state, with the participation of over 15 lakh children, and 5,000 annual scholarships, went a long way in making Haryana the sports powerhouse.

The district-level Raahgiri marathons brought officials — often accused of revelling in "majestic aloofness" — and residents together, fostering trust through periodic inclusion.

As the Haryana Narcotics Control Bureau head, he has implemented a dual strategy — strong enforcement against drug networks, combined with preventive outreach for youth. Initiatives such as Chakravyuh (a school-based game-led life skills programme), Ram Gurukul Gaman, and Namak Lota Abhiyan represented his commitment to community-driven deterrence and early intervention.

His forthcoming book 'Crowd Engineering: From Control to the New Science of Collective Behaviour'  proposes that governments and institutions see crowds not as problems to be dispersed, but as expressions of energy that can be channelled towards social trust and civic legitimacy.

Recently, he led a podcast series, which was envisioned as a bridge between the public and the police, offering authentic, narratives from ground operatives at the forefront of enforcement. The goal of the podcast is to provide people with authentic, on-the-ground insights into how the police are combating drug abuse and trafficking.