Patton lists Nagaland Police’s reform initiatives

Says it needs to re-orient, re-focus on crime investigation

KOHIMA: Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton on Thursday highlighted the various initiatives being taken up by the Nagaland Police such as police modernisation for restructuring and reorganisation of the department.

Patton said the State Police has grown but there is an urgent need to make it more efficient on functional and operational lines so that it can effectively deal with current and future problems.

He stated this while addressing a press conference at the Police Headquarters (PHQ) Kohima in the presence of DGP Rupin Sharma, Renchamo P Kikon ADGP (Adm), Sandeep M Tamgadge ADGP (Law and Order) and other senior police officers.

Pointing out that the Nagaland Police is predominantly armed police-centric with the NAP (IR) battalions comprising almost 75%, he said with changing times, there is a need to “re-orient and re-focus on investigation and related functions like forensic and prosecution etc unlike the requirement of the past”.

 “Our manpower and resource allocations are skewed towards armed police duties and not towards investigation and law enforcement. In the past, numerous posts and branches have been created without proper allocation of commensurate resources and often such posts and the officers assigned have remained virtually non-functional,” he said.

Towards this, he remarked that there is a pressing need to rectify such situations so that the faith and trust of the public and society can be established and enhanced.

He reiterated that modern policing is more about establishing the supremacy of the law through investigation and law enforcement rather than by brute force.

The Dy. CM informed that the committee constituted by the Home department on April 27, headed by the DGP along with eight other senior police officers, will also recommend the gaps in resources so that ‘we can make up the deficit’, and look into all aspects of policing through this exercise.

Meanwhile, he also invited ‘workable and genuine suggestions’ from the public to improve the department, law and order in the state and create an environment for better development and economic activity.

War on Drugs

Patton maintained that the Nagaland Police has launched a war on drugs during the last four months and during this period, systematic efforts have been undertaken to arrest criminals and disrupt the drug peddling and trafficking networks.

He said in furtherance of the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister’s Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan, the State Police registered 101 cases and arrested 143 criminals from various parts of the Northeast. The arrested persons were also informed to have included six police personnel.

The State Police has also issued preventive detention orders for seven persons under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic (PIT) in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) Act, which allows the state government to put traffickers and peddlers under preventive detention to disrupt the trafficking networks.

He asserted that deterrence and prevention of criminal acts need attention from the law enforcing agencies wherein scientific aid to investigation is one crucial area of concern for conviction of drug traffickers.

In this regard, he pointed out the need to upgrade and update the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) unit, adding that the Police department has to come up with tangible proposals and suggestions.

Meanwhile, Patton informed that the State Police has set up an Anti-Narcotics Task Force booth with state-wide jurisdiction to focus on this problem.

“I have directed the DGP Nagaland to quickly complete departmental enquiries against the police personnel arrested so far so that we send a message of zero tolerance in the society,” he said.

Further, Patton said that he has also asked DGP to carry out screening of police personnel having issues of substance abuse so that suitable disciplinary actions can be taken and if deemed fit, criminal actions will also be taken against them.

The DGP informed that the PHQ had sent a message to all personnel to identify themselves and seek rehabilitation; however only a few turned up. He stated that after the stipulated time, action will be initiated against any personnel found guilty of substance abuse.

Unauthorised absence from duty

Stating that a number of police personnel of all ranks are often found absent from duty without due permission or leave from duty stations, Patton said such acts of misconduct were a dereliction of duty and indiscipline. He added that it affects the command and control of the senior officers adversely, especially when senior officers are themselves absent from duty stations.

He pointed out that the regular presence of officers and personnel in the duty stations help the local economy, besides creating a sense of confidence in the minds of the people. Towards this, he stated that DGP and PHQ should report un-reasonable absentees from duties so that appropriate actions are initiated against those erring police personnel.

Confinement to quarter guard

The Dy CM observed that there was a practice of confining erring and delinquent police personnel to unit quarter guards, which was a method of punishment and dealing with indiscipline. Yet, he said confinement to quarter guard was “excessive punishment and inhumane”.

He stated that the Nagaland Police has decided to do away with the old method of confinement of police personnel to quarter guard for disciplinary reasons. However, he added that when any personnel is of imminent danger to his own life or others, the person may be confined to quarter guards and in such case, an immediate FIR will be lodged at the nearest police station by the immediate supervisory officer or the unit commander.

Almost 200 bodyguards withdrawn

Reiterating his earlier direction to the Nagaland Police to withdraw bodyguards attached with former legislators, bureaucrats and others, Patton said the PHQ has been reducing the deployment of bodyguards and static guards.

 “Although it is an ongoing exercise, the department has so far withdrawn almost 200 bodyguards. Static guards are also being rationalised,” he said

According to the data furnished by the department, a total of 155 personnel were reported “withdrawn”, 64 were “retained” and 33 were “pending”, making a total of 252.

Government vehicles with retired officers

Meanwhile, Patton maintained that the department is facing a shortage of vehicles for law and order duties and the PHQ will undertake an exercise to withdraw vehicles attached to retired officers, especially those attached for more than three months after retirement.

In this regard, he requested the retired officers to kindly cooperate towards this exercise in the interest of public services.

It was informed that the registration numbers of some vehicles that were either condemned or allotted to various people have still not changed and were still using police stickers. Patton said such vehicles should be re-registered immediately otherwise they were liable to be confiscated.