The slow execution of the police as an institution continues. Who will save it?

Source: The post is based on the article “The slow execution of the police as an institution continues. Who will save it?” published in the Indian Express on 12^th August 2022.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.

Relevance: About police-politician nexus.

News: The political “masters” tries to create a nexus between them and the police through police stations.

Why police stations are crucial for politicians?

Police stations and outposts are the forums where maximum citizen-police interactions take place.

If the officer in charge of the police station is impartial, efficient and compassionate, then no one will approach the local member of the legislature (MLA) or parliament (MP). So, the political leaders try to create a nexus.

How do the politicians create nexus with the police?

At station level: The strategy commonly used is to have a police station “manned” by an officer of choice who, in turn, pays daily obeisance to the politician along with that the officer does not bother to conceal.

The officer in charge would naturally allocate “beats” to constables who give more time to local “dadas” instead of investigating crime or maintaining order.

District police level: Politicians influence the district police chief to appoint cronies of his choice. This hand-picked team will collect from street hawkers, traders, merchants, restaurants and bar owners. The collection is redistributed between everyone in the station as the system is understood by all.

Money is needed by the officers to secure “good” postings, by politicians for their lifestyle desires and their parties for election purposes.

Posting of zonal Inspectors General of police: There are not many senior officers and many of them would look for “right” postings. The officer will also be provided with favourable media coverage and installed with great fanfare.

Influence on Judiciary: The judiciary is burdened with the weight of its mounting pendency. Further, for judges, post-retirement avenues are totally dependent on the executive.

The Indian Penal Code defines conspiracy as an illegal act and holds each conspirator to be equally responsible. But politicians de-construct and destroy institutions without any punishments.