NHRC workshop on 'Human Rights Training in Police and Para-Military Organizations'
New Delhi, 19th March, 2013
The National Human Rights Commission organized a day-long workshop on 'Human Rights Training in Police and Para-Military Organizations' in New Delhi today. Senior police officers attached with the training of Police and Para-Military personnel attended the workshop. Inaugurating it, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, NHRC said that almost in every police action there is an element of human rights, including right to liberty and dignity. Therefore, police personnel, especially at lower level need to be properly sensitized about the importance of these rights and their obligations to protect them.
Justice Balakrishnan said that police should register FIR in all cognizable offences. At the same time, tendency to arrest is needed to be curbed in small offences to ensure that prisons are not over crowded by undertrial prisoners. Understanding the need for training of police personnel, the NHRC has been collaborating with various police academies and has also developed curriculum for them in collaboration with IGNOU and it is further open to suggestions in this regard. NHRC Members and senior officers participated in the discussions.
Several suggestions came up during the discussions. Some of these are as follows:
" Human Rights Training should be made integral to policing to change the mind-set among all ranks of police personnel. This may be at entry level, pre-promotion level and in-service.
" There is a need to undertake analysis of training requirements and methods thereof to reduce the gap between theory and practice of policing.
" Appropriate number of trainers need to be provided and appointment of Officers in training institutions should be as a recognition of their aptitude, impeccable record/ integrity and not as a punishment posting; incentives to be given for training assignments.
" Behavioural science should be an essential component of all training programmes, which should include soft skills.
" Actual creation of model police station, police commander etc. whom one could emulate.
" Designating Officers as Human Rights officer who would sensitise the troops in a battalion.
" Induction training as well as de-induction training required to be introduced for police and para- military personnel as per their assignments and locations thereof.
" Need for periodic assessment of the impact of stress on the conduct of personnel in police and paramilitary organisations which could affect their conduct.
" Best practices among training institutions may be shared with each other.
*****
The National Human Rights Commission organized a day-long workshop on 'Human Rights Training in Police and Para-Military Organizations' in New Delhi today. Senior police officers attached with the training of Police and Para-Military personnel attended the workshop. Inaugurating it, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, NHRC said that almost in every police action there is an element of human rights, including right to liberty and dignity. Therefore, police personnel, especially at lower level need to be properly sensitized about the importance of these rights and their obligations to protect them.
Justice Balakrishnan said that police should register FIR in all cognizable offences. At the same time, tendency to arrest is needed to be curbed in small offences to ensure that prisons are not over crowded by undertrial prisoners. Understanding the need for training of police personnel, the NHRC has been collaborating with various police academies and has also developed curriculum for them in collaboration with IGNOU and it is further open to suggestions in this regard. NHRC Members and senior officers participated in the discussions.
Several suggestions came up during the discussions. Some of these are as follows:
" Human Rights Training should be made integral to policing to change the mind-set among all ranks of police personnel. This may be at entry level, pre-promotion level and in-service.
" There is a need to undertake analysis of training requirements and methods thereof to reduce the gap between theory and practice of policing.
" Appropriate number of trainers need to be provided and appointment of Officers in training institutions should be as a recognition of their aptitude, impeccable record/ integrity and not as a punishment posting; incentives to be given for training assignments.
" Behavioural science should be an essential component of all training programmes, which should include soft skills.
" Actual creation of model police station, police commander etc. whom one could emulate.
" Designating Officers as Human Rights officer who would sensitise the troops in a battalion.
" Induction training as well as de-induction training required to be introduced for police and para- military personnel as per their assignments and locations thereof.
" Need for periodic assessment of the impact of stress on the conduct of personnel in police and paramilitary organisations which could affect their conduct.
" Best practices among training institutions may be shared with each other.
*****