All India Conference of Director Generals of Police

• 17 Jan 2024

For Prelims: 58^th All India Conference of Director Generals/ Inspector Generals of Police, DGPs (Director general of police), IGPs (Inspector-General of Police), Criminal Laws.

For Mains: All India Conference of Director Generals.

Source: PIB

Why in News?

Recently, the Prime Minister of India attended the 58^th All India Conference of Director Generals/Inspector Generals of Police in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

• It was a three-day being held in hybrid mode with DGPs (Director general of police), IGPs (Inspector-General of Police) and Chiefs of Central Police Organisations.
• A wide range of policing and internal security issues including Cyber Crime, Technology in Policing, Counter Terrorism challenges, Left Wing Extremism, and Prison Reforms were discussed at the conference.
• Another key agenda of the conference is deliberations on the road map for implementation of the new Criminal Laws.

What are the Key Highlights of the PM's Address?

• Paradigm Shift in Criminal Justice:
  • The PM emphasized the significant shift brought about by the enactment of new criminal laws, advocating for a justice system focused on citizen dignity, rights, and justice first, moving away from punitive measures to data-driven approaches.
  • He highlighted the importance of sensitizing women and girls about their rights under the new laws, urging the police to ensure their safety and freedom to work fearlessly anytime, anywhere.
• Positive Image of Police:
  • He stressed the need to enhance the positive perception of the police among citizens, suggesting the use of social media at the grassroots level to disseminate positive information and messages.
  • Additionally, proposed leveraging social media for disaster alerts and relief efforts.
• Citizen-Police Connect:
  • He advocated for organizing sports events as a means to strengthen the bond between citizens and the police force.
  • He also encouraged government officials to stay in border villages to establish better connections with the local populace.
• Transformation of Police Force:
  • He encouraged the Indian police to evolve into a modern, world-class force in alignment with India's rising global profile, aiming to contribute to the vision of a developed India by 2047.

What are the Issues Associated with the Police Forces?

• Custodial Deaths:
  • Custodial deaths refer to fatalities that occur while a person is in the custody of the police or other law enforcement agencies.
    • According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), while the number of such custodial deaths had declined over three successive years from 146 in 2017-18 to 100 in 2020-21, they had recorded a sharp rise to 175 in 2021-22.
• Excessive Use of Force:
  • Instances of excessive force by the police have been reported, leading to injuries and fatalities.
  • Lack of proper training and oversight contributes to the misuse of force in some cases.
    • A police officer is a public servant and hence is expected to treat its citizens in a lawful manner.
• Corruption:
  • Corruption within the police force, including bribery, and other forms of misconduct, undermines public trust.
  • High-ranking police officials have occasionally been exposed as engaging in corrupt practices, and lower-ranking police officers have also been exposed as accepting bribes.
    • Ex: Prohibition law enforcement.
      • The laws create a fertile ground for police corruption by boosting demand for banned substances, such as alcohol.
      • The combination of increased profitability and law enforcement discretion tempts officers to engage in corrupt practices.
• Trust Issues:
  • There is a significant trust deficit between the police and the community, affecting cooperation and information sharing.
  • High-profile cases of police misconduct contribute to public skepticism and mistrust.
• Extrajudicial Killing By Police:
  • There have been many instances of Extrajudicial killings by the police in the name of self-defence, which is commonly known as 'encounter.'
  • There are no enigmatic provisions or statute in Indian law that legalizes encounter killing. In various judgments of the Supreme Court, it had limited the use of policy excesses.
    • During 2020-2021, 82 people were killed in the name of encounter which increased to 151 during 2021-2022.

What are the Recommendations for Police Reforms?

• Police Complaint Authority:
  • In the case Prakash Singh v/s Union of India, 2006, the Supreme Court directed to establish the Police Complaint Authority in all the states of India.
    • The Police Complaint Authority is authorized to investigate matters relating to any kind of misconduct by police of, above, below the rank of Superintendent of Police.
    • SC also directed separation of investigation and law and order functions to better improve policing, setting up of State Security Commissions (SSC) that would have members from civil society and forming a National Security Commission.
• National Police Commission Recommendations:
  • The National Police Commission (1977-1981) in India made recommendations for police reforms, emphasizing the need for functional autonomy and accountability.
• Shri Ribero Committee:
  • Shri Ribero committee was constituted in 1998, on the directions of the Supreme Court, to review action taken on police reforms, and to suggest ways ot implementing recommendations of the Commission.
  • The Rebeiro Committee endorsed major recommendations of National Police Commission (1978-82) with certain modifications.
• Malimath Committee on Reforms in the Criminal Justice System:
  • The Malimath Committee on Reforms in the Criminal Justice System set up in 2000, headed by V.S. Malimath made 158 recommendations including that of setting up a central law enforcement agency.
• Model Police Act:
  • In accordance with the Model Police Act, 2006, each state must establish an authority made up of retired High Court judges, civil society members, retired police officers, and public administrators from another state.
    • It focused on the functional autonomy of the police agency, encouraged professionalism and made accountability paramount for both performance and conduct.