Withdraw police personnel attached in non-police duties within 2 months, says Nagaland Deputy CM

Kohima: Deputy Chief Minister of Nagaland, Y Patton, on Friday stressed on the need to minimise attachment of police personnel as bodyguards and for non-police duties, in order to increase manpower for policing and maintenance of law and order, saying that about 3000 of them are on such deployment.

Pointing out that Nagaland police needs to be transformed and modernised, he asked the state police chief to take necessary action by withdrawing personnel attached in non-police duties within two months.

He was addressing the Nagaland Police Senior Officers and Unit Commanders meeting-cum-Crime Conference held in the conference hall, Police Headquarter (PHQ), Kohima.

Patton, who is also in-charge of Home, informed that Nagaland Police has grown from 1000 strong force in 1980s to about 26,000 in 2023 and stressed on the urgent need to improve the efficiency of the department, for which re-organisation and restructuring is required.

He said the police still face mobility constraints due to hilly terrains while improvements have been brought about in terms of infrastructure, logistics, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and others.

On substance abuse

While stating that people have high expectations on police personnel as they are the guardians of the citizens in terms of safety and security, as well as the eyes and ears of the department, Patton said there are instances of police personnel taking drugs and alcohol, thus damaging the image of the department.

He said that such misconduct and indiscipline among the police should be checked and necessary punitive action taken.

Maintaining that events like elections to the urban local bodies and solution to the Naga political issue could take place in this tenure of the new government, besides the upcoming G20 Summit, he said the Police department has to be prepared for any situation.

He went on to say that more responsibility has fallen on the police after the reduction of “disturbed areas” under the AFSPA in the state, as they have to maintain law and order as well as tackle insurgency with a slightly reduced resources and fund allocation from the Centre.

He also asked the DGP and PHQ to devise a mechanism to reduce work-related stress and exhaustion of the IRB personnel, saying that they are probably over used.

Challenges ahead

Patton stressed on the need for adequate training and investing on logistics and equipment for taking up investigative work. Asserting that the menace of cyber crimes, frauds, economic offences and drug trafficking should be tackled, he said a cyber forensic laboratory should be set up as almost all crimes will need IT in future.

He said all the vehicles that are more than 15 years old will be taken off road under the Centre’s Vehicle Scrappage Policy, which means Nagaland Police will be entrusted with the responsibility of implementing it in the state. He said almost 30% of vehicles could be taken off road if the policy is implemented.

‘Don’t take law into your own hands’

DGP of Nagaland Rupin Sharma, in his welcome address, highlighted the steps taken by the state police in fighting the drug menace, saying that it will be the first police force in the country to administer anti-narcotics pledge to its personnel.

The deputy CM later administered the anti-narcotics pledge to the police officers and personnel during the programme.

While advising the police officers to be prepared for all events and issues, the DGP also urged the public and CSOs to help the police but requested not to take law into their own hands while doing so.

Informing that the Supreme Court and Gauhati High Court have been pushing for separation of investigation, and law and order function, he said the department is trying to devise a mechanism on the matter.