Problems of Policing
Dr. David Bayley, Dean, School of Criminal Justice, State University of New York, Albany visited the Commission on 13 September 1999 and had a meeting with the Chairperson, Members and officers of the Commission.
Welcoming him to the Commission, Chairperson Mr. Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, said that problems of policing were similar all over the world, though they varied in degree situationally. "Problems in developed countries were often as embarrassing as those in developing ones. The Question, everywhere, was - who will watch the watchmen"? he remarked.
Amongst the problems relating to the police, there were issues concerning their recruitment and training. Eighty per cent of the training of a policeman in India was devoted to regimentation and a very little time was left to develop forensic skills or human rights awareness. The Chairperson stressed that it had become very necessary for policemen to keep their own house in order. It had also become essential for the police to improve in-house mechanisms to monitor its own performance and attitude to society.
Shri Virendra Dayal, Member said that the National Human Rights Commission had made a number of far-reaching recommendations in respect of police reform. As these had yet to be put into practice by the Government, the Commission had readily been impleaded in a case before the Supreme Court seeking directions on this matter.
Prof. Bayley appreciated the steps being taken in India to give more power to civil society and to hold both politicians and public servants accountable for their actions. He said that to raise the level of police performance, it had to be demonstrated to the police that it was in their own interest to observe human rights and that it worked against their interest if the public were alienated. Mere preaching would have no effect. He welcomed the efforts of the National Human Rights Commission to bring about systemic changes in respect of the police in the country.
Welcoming him to the Commission, Chairperson Mr. Justice M.N. Venkatachaliah, said that problems of policing were similar all over the world, though they varied in degree situationally. "Problems in developed countries were often as embarrassing as those in developing ones. The Question, everywhere, was - who will watch the watchmen"? he remarked.
Amongst the problems relating to the police, there were issues concerning their recruitment and training. Eighty per cent of the training of a policeman in India was devoted to regimentation and a very little time was left to develop forensic skills or human rights awareness. The Chairperson stressed that it had become very necessary for policemen to keep their own house in order. It had also become essential for the police to improve in-house mechanisms to monitor its own performance and attitude to society.
Shri Virendra Dayal, Member said that the National Human Rights Commission had made a number of far-reaching recommendations in respect of police reform. As these had yet to be put into practice by the Government, the Commission had readily been impleaded in a case before the Supreme Court seeking directions on this matter.
Prof. Bayley appreciated the steps being taken in India to give more power to civil society and to hold both politicians and public servants accountable for their actions. He said that to raise the level of police performance, it had to be demonstrated to the police that it was in their own interest to observe human rights and that it worked against their interest if the public were alienated. Mere preaching would have no effect. He welcomed the efforts of the National Human Rights Commission to bring about systemic changes in respect of the police in the country.