A Parliamentary panel has expressed anguish that the public image of police across the country is negative and police are often seen as insensitive towards the common man and vulnerable sections.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Home Affairs, headed by Congress leader Anand Sharma, also noted with concern that corruption complaints were filed against some IPS officers.
“The committee notes with anguish that the public image of police throughout the country is more on a negative side,” it said in its report submitted to the Parliament this week.
The panel said the police are often seen as insensitive towards the common man and vulnerable sections.
“While there is no denying the fact that various reasons could be attributed to such behaviour on the part of the police, emphasis on right training in this regard is one of the ways to develop such attributes in the police personnel,” it said.
The committee said it is of the considered view that the shift from an entitlement-based approach to a rights-based approach is needed for a positive change in the attitude of police personnel.
The committee, therefore, recommended that training institutes should ensure that inculcating soft skills in police personnel must always be the priority and focal point of their training modules.
It also noted with concern the corruption complaints against some IPS Officers.
The committee, therefore, recommended that the faculty members of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad, where IPS officers are trained, should chalk out a programme during the lean period of their training calendar to visit the districts and assess the performance of the probationary officers at the ground level.
In view of the committee, this would provide a practical assessment of the shortcomings and lacunae which could be eliminated through further improvement in the training modules.
