Police Reforms Peoples Perspective(PRPP) Punjab Press Confrence Jallandur-26 Feb 2010
On 26th day of Feb Team Nishan organized press confrence at Jallander Press Club to publicise the launch of PRPP Campaign in the State of Punjab.
Unfortunately despite a lot of hype, not enough has changed for 99.87% of front line police officers in the country, in the aftermath of much propagated police reforms of Apex Court. These police reforms could neither bring accountability nor performance to top brass of police leadership, it continues on the journey of injustice with impunity and failing the democratic aspiration of the stakeholders. 
Following the unprecedented development of a resignation submition by two sub-inspectors of Punjab Police following their exasperation at the issue out of turn promotions despite existing rules and regulation highlights the issue of low morale in the Punjab police and the demand from reform even from its own officers.
In the aftermath of above developments Team Nishan travelled through the state of Punjab and interacted with a vast majority of front line police officers and political leadership cutting across party lines and found that rampant corruption in police has lead to complete erosion of trust and it is high time that politically elected government must immediately intervene and do justice with the democratic aspirations of the stake holders and stop the situation from deteriorating.
Majority of political leaders including MLAs said to Team Nishan while expressing their solidarity with PRPP campaign, that in a democracy, role of police is to serve and protect its citizens but if the protectors themselves become vulnerable to injustice then there is a real threat to democracy. They said prevailing corruption among police could even lead to a repeat of the violence that has scarred previous generations..
Speaking to press, Mr Aridaman Jit Singh, alleged that Punjab police now have 6 DGs, 11 ADGs, 22 IGs, 33 DIGs they all constitute a long administrative tail and continue to work on colonial pattern with organizational hierarchy that has the rank structures of an army, but with no performance measures or levels of accountability . He also alleged that previous attempts to reform the police have produced only cosmetic changes and serious reforms are still needed.
Mr Aridaman Jit Singh, said “public is police” and that happens with trust of public on police. The current police to public ratio of 126 for 1 lakh will not change much, even if it is raised to international standard of 220 per lakh of population. This ratio system can become effective and result oriented only if constabulary is trained and empowered beyond fAUJI PATTERN of obedience and compliance to supervisory police leadership.
Ms Melissa Gordon, ex-Special Police Officer from the UK, has found no lateral entries above the rank of constable in the UK, USA or New Zealand and all promotions are training, examination and experience based there are no out of turn promotion systems as it can be counter productive to police performance but in India every state police has the ailing lateral entry system that is retrograde to affective policing.
Ms Manisha Singh Barrister from UK said in a democracy police need to be responsive to individual needs of its citizens and apply law with their judgement of actions within validation of courts purview. She said there are no special legal protections to police in vibrant democracies like the exception of India and it is against the democratic values of governance and needs to change.
Ms. Singh also said that the active participation of the public and elected representatives in monitoring the limitations and challenges of prevailing police system will inspire trust in police-public relationship that sustains the mutual trust and corner stone of effective policing in any democracy.
S.I. Kanwal Jit Singh who has been meted out grave injustice comes from a very humble background and ordinary means but nothing dettered him from embarking upon this pious journey of reforming police, lest his fraternity of front line police officers fails. He gave message to his front line police officers to dedicate themselves to rule of law and justice to serve the public and do not compromise for vested interests being promoted out of turn.
S.I. Rajinder Singh quoted the case of Mr.Vibhor Kumar Narula S/O Mr.K.K.Narula, PA to DGP Punjab Police. Vibhor kumar was enlisted as Constable at the age of 16 years by throwing all the rules and regulation to winds, Later on he was given out of turn promotions by providing various exemptions and made Inspector and also performed as SHO without any relevant training and experience. Vibhor Kumar was alleged to be absent without leave for 5 months but instead of disciplinary action he was rewarded by Police chief with out of turn promotions. He exhorted his fraternity of front line police officers to form up an association in order to fight the issue of out of turn promotions and further fight corruption in order to retain their credibility.
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