I f sanctioned strength in Police Forces in States and Union Territories of the country, that also not as on date, has any semblance and purpose, it needs to be ensured that the strength was maintained. The data put out by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) in respect of the vacant posts in Police Forces in the country is to the extent of more than 5.32 lakh. The whooping number of vacant posts is there despite more than 1.19 lakh police personnel having been recruited during the year 2019 which otherwise had lot of strains on the economy due to the impact of COVID19 pandemic. The notable thing about such a yawning gap between the requirements, that too on conservative basis and the available present strength, is not only noticed in our armed and special armed police but in civil police force too that has to attend to multifaceted duties and assignments including field duties of various hues. Looking to spurt in crimes against women on account of mindset of the offenders, recruiting women personnel in adequate number is a prerequisite in respect of containing such crimes. IIt is not that the respective state and UT Governments are , perhaps, not conscious of the shortage in the Police Force due to which the most sensitive area of law and order and allied issues receive not fuller attention but the lethargy in taking decisions coupled with efforts to grapple with struggling economies and also ”managing” things as they are , no proper attention is seen being paid to the problem. There are encouraging instances to be seen also where even during the last two years and more , the UP Administration managed to recruit as many as 50,000 new personnel in its Police Force and if the figures during the last net three years put together are taken , as many as 1.37 lakh personnel have been recruited in the UP Police Force . Why so much of gap in the required strength and recruited persons was allowed to remain there and pile up continuously over years in a row, is another subject to be looked into. However, the idea behind citing the innovative and much required initiative as shown by the UP Government in this matter, at least, should be a guiding factor for other States and UTs to emulate. A gap of the projected requirement as on January 1 last year of 26.24 lakh and actual strength of 20.91 lakh, does not augur well with managing the affairs of our Police Forces especially in respect of personnel matters. Let us not be in the habitual practice of only criticising our Police Force but sincerely feel the problems and difficulties they have to be in constant state of undergoing – in terms of their staggered duties, shortage of staff, prolonged hours of duties, less of time for rest and physical activities to keep them fit and healthy, avoidable bossism and less of flexibility in matters of sanctioning of leave and other benefits , transfer and promotion policies being clamouring for reforms and changes and the like The stereo type of projecting the force reaching quite late or ”at the end ” of an incident as mischievously projected in most of our Bollywood movies should never in practical life percolate to the levels of belief or framing an opinion about our Police Force. We have valiant Police heroes like Tukaram Omble who caught and kept grappling Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Qasab with bare hands facing volley of bullets piercing through his brave chest for shielding other personnel behind him. While we expect each of our police person of whatever rank to be brave dedicated and valiant , we also expect the respective state and UT Governments together with the Ministry of Home Affairs to Start the process of recruitment forthwith in the different wings of the Police Force. Not only shall there be an impressive difference felt in overall policing activities but as many as nearly 600 thousand unemployed shall get jobs, thereby meaning unemployment in the country to that extent getting a diminution, even if very small or negligible.
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