Among Nishan projects is an initiative to spur on radical reforms in the Indian Police. The Indian Police Service of post independent era has unfortunately not changed its structure to meet the operational requirements of a democracy. The criteria of expansion of police rank and file as proliferation into the posts of DIGs/IGs/ADGS/DGs  revolves around personal aggrandizement of selfserving bureaucracy. This evergrowing administrative tail of supervisory ranks who have no direct role and accountability in day today executive policing is taking its toll on the operational policing with absolute control over the front line police officers and sole reason of endemic/organized corruption and criminalisation of police.

Though the police is a state subject but all India nature of its top higharchy that comprise of Indian Police Service officers provides it an opportunity to cut across state boundaries in stage managed encounters to eliminate suspects and reflect demonstrative police performance that gives rise to unintended consequences and retrograde to democratic values. Over a period of time it has evolved into a nexus of organized crime and violence, alinating people and given rise to new forms of threats to democratically elected governments in respective states.

 The Propaganda of Police Reforms swept across India  in 2006 with knee jerk reaction by the intervention of apex court of country with 7 directions to be implemented by the states. All these directions revolve around the appointment and better career prospectus of 0.11%  of police personnel that comprises of Top Police leadership of Indian Police Service and in no way enhances efficiency of front line police officers that constitute 99.89% of the police.

All the consultations on Police Reforms that lead to drafting of Model Police Act have remain confined to serving and retired IPS officers and few legal luminaries, resultantly it has had a very narrow view and did not address the real policing issues at all.

 During our indepth interactions with front line police officers and supervisory IPS officers(serving & retired) what deductions we could draw is that upper echlon are not smarter than the lower. They just lucked out when it came to either money or family. While they have been educated, their performance is reflective of lack of education in not only criminal sciences but also lack of professionalism for want of field experience and aptitude combined with skills and leadership traits that make one into a professional police officer . Police in India, today need specialists and not diplomatic survivalists.

PRPP campaign is dedicated to catalyze pro active participation of public and its elected representatives into very direct vigilant role to monitor the limitations and challenges of prevailing police system to usher in relevant changes into police organizational structure, its resources and its policies to make it performance oriented.

This campaign is also initiation of consultation process for dialogue from grass roots for police reforms from the perspective of front line police officers in appreciation of local operational requirements with critical analysis of prevailent police regulations and policies that act as an impediment in the police performance.

This campaign is also dedicated to dispel the popular perception among public about political interference into policing. The colonial model of policing doesn't allow any interference into operational independence of Police Officers by the politicians, except the appointment of DGs. All the posting transfers/disciplinary processes of front line police officers remain the prerogative of institutional police mechanism that has become prone to corruption.

This campaign has been launched in the states of Haryana and Punjab and eventually being spread across the country in all the 28 states and 7 Union territories of India.

Veterans Speak!

 Mr.B.N.Kabu, Inspector General(Retd.)Police Medal for Gallantry(Bar)

 As a veteran of successful counter insurgency operations and decorated by Police Medal for gallantry at bar, the Police Medal for distinguished service, and the Police Medal for meritorious service, team Nishan were delighted to hear feedback from Mr. B. N Kabu. Mr Kabu, began his service carrier in the Indian Army at the age of 19 years in 1964 and retired from the Indian Border Security Force in the year 2003 after 39 years of distinguished service. As a one star General also he took an active part in urban operations, himself leading the strike teams during the storming of houses to neutralize the armed militants in the streets of Srinagar during mid nineties. In an interview with team Nishan on 08 November 2008, the former Inspector General was bit disappointed with the prevailing response of the Indian police to the increasing terrorist menace in the country as well as continuing police corruption Read more and other case studies........