Training Programme on Human Rights and Ethical Dimensions of Policing
A training programme on `Human Rights and Ethical Dimensions of Policing’ was organized at the Institute of Social Sciences in New Delhi on 10-11 September 2002 to sensitize police officers. Seventy officers from selected States as well as from the para-military organisations attended the programme, which was inaugurated on 10 September 2002 by Shri Virendra Dayal, Member, NHRC. Shri Dayal spoke of the Commission’s views on police reform saying that this was needed in order to insulate the investigative work of the police from extraneous political and other influences, to strengthen the integrity of the police and the regard in which it is held by citizens of the country.
The Secretary General, NHRC, Shri P.C. Sen and Special Rapporteur, NHRC, Shri Chaman Lal also addressed the gathering. In his presentation, the Secretary General pointed to the need for police officers to observe certain essential values while performing their tasks. Shri Chaman Lal spoke of the need to protect human rights even while conducting counter-insurgency operations.
Chairperson, Justice J.S. Verma, in his valedictory address, called upon the police officers to strengthen internal mechanisms of control, which he said were essential to any process of police reform. Respect for human rights, he said, depended on good governance, which in turn depended on the performance of individual institutions of governance. The rule of law is the bedrock of democracy and the agency for enforcing the rule of law is the police force. It followed that the independence and autonomy of the police force were as important as that of the judiciary. Justice Verma added that this was well recognized by all, but not put into practice. Similarly, the need to protect human rights was well recognized, but universally these rights were inadequately respected.
The Secretary General, NHRC, Shri P.C. Sen and Special Rapporteur, NHRC, Shri Chaman Lal also addressed the gathering. In his presentation, the Secretary General pointed to the need for police officers to observe certain essential values while performing their tasks. Shri Chaman Lal spoke of the need to protect human rights even while conducting counter-insurgency operations.
Chairperson, Justice J.S. Verma, in his valedictory address, called upon the police officers to strengthen internal mechanisms of control, which he said were essential to any process of police reform. Respect for human rights, he said, depended on good governance, which in turn depended on the performance of individual institutions of governance. The rule of law is the bedrock of democracy and the agency for enforcing the rule of law is the police force. It followed that the independence and autonomy of the police force were as important as that of the judiciary. Justice Verma added that this was well recognized by all, but not put into practice. Similarly, the need to protect human rights was well recognized, but universally these rights were inadequately respected.