State deputy chief minister, a minister in-charge of home, Y Patton on Thursday informed that the State government has set up a High-Level Committee (HLC) to look into restructuring, reorganization, recruitment and training of the state police and make it more efficient on functional and operational lines.
Informing this at a press conference here at PHQ conference hall, Patton said that the HLC will be headed by the Director General of Police (DGP). While pointing out that the state police have grown in numbers and stressed on the need to restructure and make it more efficient.
With Nagaland Police being predominantly armed police centric, which had been a requirement in the past, Patton, however, said that with change in times there was a need to re-orient and re-focus on investigation and related functions like forensic and prosecution. He also stressed that there was a pressing need to rectify on some situations so that faith and trust of the society would be enhanced.
He maintained that modern policing was more about establishing the supremacy of the law through investigation and law enforcement rather than by brute force. Patton stated that the criminals should know that they would be brought to book and for that, the Nagaland Police needed to be ready and prepared.
200 BGs withdrawn: On withdrawal of police personnel attached as bodyguards and static guards, Patton informed that around 200 personnel have been withdrawn so far. Though it was an ongoing exercise, he said that the department will also rationalize static guards on duty.
Unauthorized absence: Taking note of some personnel on unauthorized absence from duty, Patton said that such acts of misconducts has affected the command and control and more so when senior officers follow the same. In this regard, Patton directed DGP to report such unreasonable actions so that appropriate actions could be initiated against them.
War against drugs: With regard to state police initiative on ‘War on Drugs’, Patton informed during that during the last four months, systematic efforts had been undertaken to arrest criminals and disrupt drug peddling and trafficking networks.
In continuance of Prime Minister and Union Home Minister’s ‘Nasha Mukt Abhiyaan’, he said the police registered 101 cases and arrested 143 persons, which included six police personnel.
Though the traffickers have been put under preventive detention, Patton also said that the DGP has been asked complete the departmental inquiry against those personnel arrested in order to send across a strong message of ‘zero tolerance’. He also said that the DGP has been asked to screen out police personnel with substance abuse and initiate suitable disciplinary action.
He also said that the state police had set up an Anti-Narcotics Task Force both at the state level with state-wide jurisdiction and in districts to focus on drug menace.
Meanwhile, Patton also took note of the issue of shortage of vehicles for deployment particularly during law and order situation. He directed the department to withdraw vehicles which were attached to retired officers and also at the same time appealed the retired officers to cooperate with the exercise.
The press conference was attended by DGP Rupin Sharma and other senior police officials.
It may be mentioned that the HLC headed by DGP Rupin Sharma include– ADGP (Adm) Renchamo P Kikon, special secretary (home) S.R Saravanan, ADGP (L&O) Sandeep M Tamgadge, IGP (NAP) Liremo Tsopoe, IGP (Trg & Bdr) Jasbir Singh, IGP (INT) Martin Pienyu, IGP (Range) Limasunep Jamir and DIGP (Range) Kohima Rothihu Tetseo.