I.T.Longkumer, IPS ( Retd) Chairman
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1 I.T.Longkumer, IPS ( Retd) Chairman Committee on Police Reforms Phone – 2227447 (0) Having completed my assignment, I am leaving this comfortable office room at the Police HQr today. It was indeed a pleasure to work with my former colleagues once again. Thank you very much for your kind hospitality and support for the past twelve months. It was only through your help and co-operation that the Committee could complete the assignment within the stipulated time. I wish you all success. Yours , Shri.W.R. Marbaniang, IPS Director General of Police, Meghalaya. Shillong. ( I. T. Longkumer ) 2 Respected Dy. Chief Minister, I, on behalf of the Committee, deem it a privilege to submit the report of the Committee on Police Reforms. The Committee was constituted by the Government of Meghalaya vide its Order dated 17th February, 2004, but owing to certain administrative reasons, we could commence our work only from June, 2004. 1. We are grateful to you for giving us this opportunity to study the Police set up in Meghalaya and suggest measures to bring about appropriate reforms in various aspects of policing in the State. Our recommendations are mainly focused on developing a people-friendly, responsive, professionally competent police force, which is able to win the confidence and trust of the people. 2. Since its inception Meghalaya Police continued with the policing pattern being followed in Assam. It, therefore, shares the colonial background which is generally perceived as the ‗ruler appointed police‘ more concerned with carrying out government orders rather than providing services to the people. A conscious effort must be made on all fronts to bring about a change in the mindset of the Police as well as the people. 3. The Police Organization in the State needs to have a vision, on the basis of which goals should be set. We have recommended the vision in the form of a mission statement based on the suggestion made by Committee on Police Reforms headed by Shri K. Padmanabhaiah. 4. Considering the importance of qualitative improvement in manpower as pre requisite for any reform measures, we have recommended enhancement of educational qualification for recruitment, particularly, at the level of constable. The training Institutions also need to be upgraded to facilitate imparting of 3 various specialized training to all levels of State Police. We have covered this in our recommendations. 5. To bring about better professionalism in the main areas of police functions, such as Investigations, Prosecution, Intelligence, Traffic etc. we have recommended a number of measures on relevant areas. 6. Policing to be successful must have the co-operation and support of the people. To improve the Police-Public interface, we have recommended adoptions of some forms of Community Policing, with the objective of achieving a partnership between Police and the Community in crime prevention. 7. With a view to gain confidence and trust of the people, we have recommended introduction of some mechanism for redressal of public grievances at various levels. 8. Need for adequate provision of basic Police infrastructure also caught our attention while visiting the districts. Much need to be done in this area and we have reflected some of these in our recommendations. 9. We have observed that very little importance has been accorded to manpower and career planning of police personnel in the State. We have made a few recommendations, which will contribute to bringing in professionalism in the police force. 10. The State Police will have to keep pace with the technological advancements of the time. Introduction of E- Governance, inter-net applications and computerization in all areas of work will add new dimensions to police responsibilities. Relevant issues have been covered in our recommendations. 4 11. To obtain optimum performance from the personnel, their working conditions, welfare and certain motivational measures will need active consideration. We have covered these in our recommendations. 12. The State Police should be fully prepared to meet the future challenges. Traditional policing will have to give way to innovative approaches. We have studied the emerging trends and have tried to suggest measures on many of the issues that we consider relevant to the State Police. 13. We have stressed on laying down certain parameters in the functioning of Police for ensuring accountability of the Police force. 14. Meghalaya is the first State in the North East to appreciate the need for reforming its own Police force. I, on behalf of the Committee, request you to make this pioneering effort meaningful by seriously looking into the recommendations and initiate appropriate steps for implementation. 15. I thank you once again for entrusting this important responsibility to the Committee. With regards, Yours Sincerely, Dr. Mukul Sangma, Dy Chief Minister In Charge Home, ( I. T. Longkumer ) Government of Meghalaya Meghalaya. Shillong. GOVERNMENT OF MEGHALAYA 5 HOME (POLICE) DEPARTMENT ORDERS BY THE GOVERNOR NOTIFICATION Dated Shillong, the 17th February, 2004. No.HPL.181/2003/2 - The Governor of Meghalaya is pleased to constitute a Committee to examine certain aspects of the functioning of the State Police force as specified in the terms of reference, consisting of the following persons : 1. Shri I.T. Longkumer. IPS (Retd) - Chairman 2. Smti. Patricia Mukhim - Member 3. Shri P.C. Chakravorty, IAS(Retd) - Member 4. Shri Milton Sangma - Member. The Terms of reference of the Committee are as follows : (i) To evaluate the strength and weaknesses of the State police force, in tent of its present structure and organisation, vis-ã-vis the future challenges. (ii) To identify the gap between public expectations and performance of the police force and to suggest remedial measures. (iii) To examine and bring out specific recommendation on the following issues: (a) Accountability of the police, (b) Redressal of public grievances, (c) Community policing and (d) Intelligence gathering and sharing. Sd (P.J. Bazeley) Chief Secretary, Government of Meghalaya Memo. No.HPL.181/2003/2 -A Dated Shillong, the 17th February , 2004. Copy forwarded to 1. The Secretary to the Governor of Meghalaya, Shillong. 2. The Private Secretary to the Chief Minister, Meghalaya, for information of Chief Minister. 3. The Private Secretary to Home Minister, for information of Home Minister. 4. The Private Secretary to Chief Secretary, for information of Chief Secretary. 5. The Director General & Inspector General of Police, Meghalaya,Shillong 6. The Director of Printing & Stationery, Meghalava, Shillong for publication of the Notification in the gazette. 7. Persons concerned. By order etc., Deputy Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Home Police Department 6 HOME(POLICE) DEPARTMENT ORDERS BY THE GOVERNOR NOTIFICATION Dated Shillong the 16thMarch,2004. No.HPL.181/2003/5 - In continuation to Notification No.HPL.181/2003/2 dated 17th February 2004, Shri B.R. Rana, IPS, DIGP, CID/ACB will be Member Secretary of the Committee on Police Reforms. The Committee will submit the Report/Recommendation to the Government within a period of 6 (six) months. The Director General of Police, Meghalava will provide a room along with Secretarial and other assistance as may be required by the Committee from time to time. (G.P.Wahlang), Principal Secretary to Govt. of Meghalaya, Home (Police) Department. Memo No. HPL.181/2003/5-A Dated Shillong, the March 16, 2004. Copy forwarded to: 1. The Secretary to the Governor of Meghalaya, Shillong. 2. The Private Secretary to the Chief Minister, Meghalaya for information of Chief Minister. 3. Private Secretary to Home Minister, for information of Home Minister. 4. The Private Secretary to Chief Secretary, for information of Chief Secretary. 5. The Director General & Inspector General of Police, Meghalaya, Shillong. 6. The Director of Printing & Stationery, Mehalava. Shillong for publication of the Notification in the gazette. 7. Persons concerned. By order etc., Sd/ Deputy Secretary to the Government of MeghalayaHome (Police) Department 7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The Committee is grateful to the Government of Meghalaya for having constituted the present Committee on Police reforms with a view to bring about comprehensive reforms in the State Police with added thrust on having a vision of preparing the force to ably meet the future challenges. Hitherto there has been no such effort made to reform the state Police. The recommendations of various police reforms Committees and Commissions would be studied as a matter of routine and isolated plan of action drawn to implement those recommendations. This type of approach to improve the functioning of the state police basically lost sight of the vital focus on holistic approach in introducing reforms in the police service. The Committee hopes that the report and recommendations made in the following chapters will not be an addition to an already existing plethora of reports of Commissions and Committees. The Committee is grateful to Shri M.M.Jacob, Hon‘ble Governor of Meghalaya, Shri D.D.Lapang, Hon‘ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya for kind advice and valuable guidance to the Committee. The Committee also acknowledges with gratefulness the guidance and assistance it received from Dr. Mukul Sangma, Hon‘ble Home Minister and his predecessors Shri R.G.Lyngdoh and Shri HDR Lyngdoh. The Committee also places on record the unstinted help and assistance it received from Shri P.J.Bazeley, IAS , Chief Secretary; Shri G.P.Wahlang, IAS Principal Secretary ( Home) and Smti R.V.Suchiang, IAS Commissioner and s Secretary ( Home). The Committee is also grateful to Shri W.R.Marbaniang, IPS, Director General of police, Meghalaya and his predecessor Sri L.Sailo IPS for calling on all senior officers, heads of Districts and units of Meghalaya Police to provide all information and assistance the Committee needed. The Director general of Police also provided the office room for the Committee and all the secretarial and logistic assistance.