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A Bottom-Up Assessment of the Karnataka Police A MIRROR TO THE POLICE A BOTTOM-UP ASSESSMENT OF THE KARNATAKA POLICE PAC / 1 A Mirror to the Police 2 / PAC A Bottom-Up Assessment of the Karnataka Police A MIRROR TO THE POLICE A BOTTOM-UP ASSESSMENT OF THE KARNATAKA POLICE Meena Nair K. Prabhakar Prarthana Rao PUBLIC AFFAIRS CENTRE PAC / 3 A Mirror to the Police A Mirror to the Police A Bottom-Up Assessment of the Karnataka Police Study done by Meena Nair, K. Prabhakar and Prarthana Rao for the Public Affairs Centre and the the Karnataka State Police Department Public Affairs Centre (PAC) is a not for profit organization, established in 1994 that is dedicated to improving the quality of governance in India. The focus of PAC is primarily in areas where citizens and civil society organizations can play a proactive role in improving governance. In this regard, PAC undertakes and supports research, disseminates research findings, facilitates collective citizen action through awareness raising and capacity building activities, and provides advisory services to state and non-state agencies. Public Affairs Centre No. 15, KIADB Industrial Area Bommasandra – Jigani Link Road Bangalore 562106 India Phone: +91 80 2783 9918/19/20 Email: [email protected] Web: pacindia.org © 2010 Public Affairs Centre Some rights reserved. Content in this publication can be freely shared, distributed, or adapted. However, any work, adapted or otherwise, derived from this publication must be attributed to Public Affairs Centre, Bangalore. This work may not be used for commercial purposes. Cover Design: Images, Bangalore Printed in Bangalore at National Printing Press, Bangalore 4 / PAC A Bottom-Up Assessment of the Karnataka Police Contents Acknowledgements 8 Introduction 9 Foreword 11 Executive Summary 13 Background to the study 21 Scope and Objectives 23 Methodology 23 Structure of the Report 26 Feedback from Complainants 27 Profile of the Complainants 27 Entry to a Police Station 28 Complaint Process – A protracted exercise 30 Corruption – Understated 33 Outcome and Satisfaction – no great expectations 34 Feedback from Police Personnel 36 A profile of the Interviewed Police Personnel 36 A Self-assessment of Work 38 Support – Strong Tangibles but Weak Intangibles 39 Work Culture Influences 44 Outcome and Satisfaction 48 Complaint lodging – Procedural Gaps 50 Conclusions and Policy Recommendations 52 PAC / 5 A Mirror to the Police Follow-up Action 57 Public Dissemination of the Findings 57 Actions Taken by the DG&IGP 57 Tables 1.1 Sample size for survey 25 2.1 Profile of complainants across Ranges - Selected features 28 3.1 Proportion of police personnel agreeing to statements related to work culture 46 3.2 The complaint lodging process as reported by police personnel and complainants 51 Figures 2.1 Proportion of complainants feeling at ease about visiting a PS 29 2.2 Proportion of complainants reporting receipt of FIR/Acknowledgment copy 31 2.3 Proportion of complainants demanding FIR/Acknowledgment copy 32 2.4 Proportion of complainants reporting unhappiness with follow-up 32 2.5 Proportion of complainants reporting paying a bribe 34 2.6 Proportion of complainants reporting complete satisfaction with their overall experience with the police 35 3.1 Proportion of staff reporting ‘never’ getting a weekly off 39 3.2 Proportion of Police Stations reporting inability to use internet and other technologies 40 3.3 Proportion of staff reporting non-participation in any training progamme in the last three years 41 3.4 Proportion of staff reporting interference / involvement of people of influence in their work 44 3.5 Proportion of police personnel reporting current structure of hierarchy to be ‘very rigid’ 45 3.6 Proportion of staff agreeing to money taking practices in the department 47 6 / PAC A Bottom-Up Assessment of the Karnataka Police 3.7 Proportion of police stations reporting closed cases 49 Annexures Annexure 1 : Sampling Design 62 Annexure 2 : Observation Tables 64 Annexure 3 : Tables of Complainant Responses 70 Annexure 4 : Police Personnel Tables 74 Advertisements Released by the Police Department 81 PAC / 7 A Mirror to the Police Acknowledgments We are indebted to many individuals and organizations that helped us to complete this study successfully. We take this opportunity to place on record our gratitude to them, particularly: The DG&IGP of Karnataka, Dr. Ajai Kumar Singh and the core team of KSPD comprising Sri. R.K. Dutta, IPS, ADGP, Sri. Omprakash, IPS, ADGP and Sri. A.S.N. Murthy, IPS, DIGP for their valuable guidance to the PAC PGRG team at different stages of the study. To the SHOs and staff of the police stations of Anekal, Vemgal and HAL Bangalore for cooperating with us and providing valuable inputs at the preparatory stage of our study, that shaped our data collection instruments. Our fieldwork partner organizations who have helped us in our previous field assignments as well – CAMPAIGN INDIA, Bangalore; ROOVARI – Urban and Rural Development Society, Raichur; and SAMANVAYA, Shimoga, for carrying out the field survey successfully and in time, and Global Marketing Data Solutions, Bangalore for carrying out the data entry. The five hundred police personnel who shared their experiences and viewpoints with us and the District SPs who provided support to our field teams to help the police stations share their records and documents with us. All the two thousand complainants who gave their time and shared their experiences with us thus providing us with information that helped us to assess the quality of service delivery provided by the Karnataka police department. The founder of Public Affairs Centre, Dr. Samuel Paul for his constant support and guidance throughout the study, our Director Mr. R. Suresh, for his suggestions on the draft report, Mr. M. Vivekananda for his guidance in sampling design and data analysis, and our colleague Ms. Poornima for helping us in additional data analysis. Mr. Somasekhar Hawaldar, for providing details on KSPD and aspects related to work culture and assisting us in the training programme. While we are indebted to the individuals mentioned above for their contribution, we the authors are solely responsible for the opinions expressed and any errors therein. August 2010 Meena Nair K. Prabhakar Prarthana Rao 8 / PAC A Bottom-Up Assessment of the Karnataka Police Foreword Citizens depend on the police force for the enforcement of law and order, and the control of crime and violence. In Karnataka state, the Police Department has initiated several measures to make these functions more effective and citizen-friendly. We realize, however, that there is always scope for improving the way the police function and interface with the public at large. It is also possible that the traditional work culture of the police can be a barrier to further improvements. Without a systematic and independent study that examines these issues, it is difficult to arrive at an agenda for reform and change. It is against this backdrop that the Government of Karnataka authorized a study of the police work culture in the state by Public Affairs Centre (PAC), Bangalore. This study is based on extensive interviews with both citizens and police officials across the State. The Police Department, with the help of the Government and the people, is determined to address the problems highlighted by this independent study and put in place improved systems and practices for the benefit of the people. The study findings, we hope, will act as a stimulus to upgrade the performance, accountability and credibility of the Karnataka Police, through actionable policies and remedies. I am extremely grateful to PAC, for undertaking this study and completing it in a timely and professional manner. I hope that this study will aid the Police Department in bridging the gap between the rising expectations of the citizens and the quality of services delivered by the Department. August 2010 Dr. Ajai Kumar Singh Director General & Inspector General of Police, Karnataka State PAC / 9 A Mirror to the Police 10 / PAC A Bottom-Up Assessment of the Karnataka Police Introduction For us at the Public Affairs Centre, success is measured by the manner in which our research and analysis of citizen experience and opinion is transformed into real change. This happens in different ways. Policy makers incorporate our findings into white papers which are shared widely, and some ideas picked up for testing, adaptation and application in specific situations. Others utilize our research to amplify and elaborate themes that they would have been working on themselves, and the resultant products are enriched and validated. In some cases, citizen bodies have found our findings useful to support their causes especially when in discussion with public service authorities. However, real success for us arises from the full expression of the term ‘constructive engagement’. This implies an interest in, and support for, the design of an evaluation system that objectively analyses a public service in totality from the point of view of the primary users of the system, in this case complainants at police stations. Further, it implies a responsibility towards full participation in the implementation of the changes that the study suggests and follow-through with regard to structural and systemic modifications that the changes will demand. An opportunity for constructive engagement arose with this bottom-up assessment of the Karnataka Police. This research began on the initiative and support of the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP) of the state of Karnataka, India. He offered us complete access to the police system and freedom in the choice of samples. At all stages in the study, the Public Affairs Centre team was supported by a core team from the Department that facilitated the progress of the study by making information and necessary documentation available in a timely manner.