Haryana's new DGP OP Singh is an author, podcaster too

The 1992-batch IPS officer O P Singh, who on Tuesday assumed charge as Haryana's new DGP, holding the position as additional charge after government sent state DGP Shatrujeet Kapur on leave, is a multi-faceted personality.

The IPS officer of Haryana cadre, Singh is an author, a podcaster too, all while serving in a senior role where he led critical efforts in law enforcement modernisation, community resilience and national capacity building.

The Haryana government on Tuesday sent state DGP Shatrujeet Kapur on leave, amid mounting attacks from the Opposition over IPS officer Y Puran Kumar's alleged suicide.

An official order said O P Singh, a 1992-batch IPS officer of DGP rank, has been assigned the "additional charge of DGP Haryana during the leave period of Shatrujeet Kapur".

Singh is currently posted as Director General of Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau; Managing Director of Haryana Police Housing Corporation, Panchkula; and Director, Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Madhuban.

In his over three decades of service in the police force, Singh has served as the superintendent of police in many districts and also served as police commissioner of Faridabad and IG of Hisar and Rewari police Range.

He is also credited with devising and implementing the Participation, Inclusion and Excellence (PIE) Model of sports promotion in the state and his Sports Scholarship Programme under 'play for India' campaign line attracted thousands of children to playgrounds in Haryana.

Singh is known for mobilising youth and connecting them with social causes under various initiatives.

The recipient of the President Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2008 and Indian President Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2017, Singh is also credited to have brought sweeping and strategic offensive against the narcotics trade.

A live, dynamic list of hundreds of high-profile drug smugglers, each with three or more Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act cases in the past decade had been circulated to all field units across the state, accompanied by strict orders for targeted enforcement.

As head of Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau, O P Singh had emphasised the importance of harnessing actionable human and tech intelligence to streamline anti-drug operations.

He was instrumental in Haryana police coming out with a musical drama 'Ram Gurukul Gaman,' in 2023 to 'reinvent' communication with the youth on key issues.

This initiative, diverging from traditional, anti-drug campaigns, sought to engage the youth with a blend of cultural storytelling and uplifting messaging.

Singh, had earlier this year also launched a podcast series aimed at bringing citizens closer to the frontline of the state's battle against drugs.

The podcast, led personally by Singh, is envisioned as a bridge between the public and the police, offering authentic, unfiltered narratives from ground operatives who are at the heart of this critical enforcement effort.

The primary goal of the podcast is to provide citizens with authentic, on-the-ground insights into how Haryana Police is combating drug abuse and trafficking.

Singh has also authored a few books.

A new book by him argues that in a rapidly changing society, the traditional approach of "crowd control" must evolve into what he terms crowd engineering, a science of designing constructive, participatory gatherings.

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

"Suppression disperses a crowd for an hour. Design builds legitimacy for years," Singh, had recently said, describing the philosophy behind his work.

Drawing on his tenure in Haryana, Singh highlights three initiatives — Sports scholarship programme attracted children, parents, and teachers because it conferred dignity and recognition.

District marathons inspired mass participation, turning territorial pride into collective synchrony and dissolving social divides.

'Raahgiri' brought officials blamed for revelling in "majestic aloofness" and citizens together in shared spaces of recreation, fostering trust through periodic inclusion.

Each, he argues, was a "designed crowd" that channelled energy into constructive outcomes.

The book's most significant proposal is for crowd engineering to be established as an independent field of study.