President wants police to be a pro-active force

Hyderabad, Nov 5 (INN): President of India Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday advised the police force to change from a reactive to a pro-active agency.

"My vision of the Police for future India is not that of only a law enforcing body, but of a pro-active service provider, a partner in growth, development and peace. As police officers, you should always ensure that the grievances of the common man are redressed.

This would require a change of role of the police from a reactive to a pro-active agency, which, in partnership with other stake holders will create a peaceful and secure atmosphere conducive to the growth and prosperity of our nation," Pranab Mukherjee said while speaking as the Chief Guest after taking the salute of Passing Out Parade of 65 RR of the Indian Police Service at National Police Academy at Shivarampally here.

The President asked the IPS probationers to follow the advise of first Home Minister of India Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to civil servants to stay away from politics and communal wrangles.

The President complimented the officers of the Indian Police Service for their commitment, dedication, sincerity and willingness to make the supreme sacrifice in the cause of the nation.

"As far as the Police forces in the country are concerned, there is no room whatsoever for complacency. The nation has great expectations from you," he said.

The President said that he expected the highest degree of professionalism from the IPS officials to ensure that the rule of law is enforced in letter and spirit.

He said police constables are the visible face of government and therefore, enough attention should be paid for their training and development and improvement in their service conditions.

The image of the police depends on their conduct, behaviour and professionalism and the public forms an opinion about the quality of governance based on the response and efficiency of policemen at the grass roots level, he said.

"These are challenging times for our police forces. There has been a worrying about of communal violence in some parts of our country, accompanied by deterioration in inter-community relations.

There is need to strengthen the ability of our district and local Administration to notice such tensions in the initial stages and take necessary measures to contain them quickly," he said.

The President said that the atrocities against women and children have also grabbed public attention and shaken the conscience of our nation in recent times.

The Government of India has enacted a path-breaking legislation, the Protection of Children from Sexua1 Offences Act, which provides for stringent punishment for persons who commit or abet such offences.

The Government has also introduced the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2012 in Parliament. The Justice JS Verma committee has made a number of important recommendations which are before the Government, he said.

"Effective policing of our urban areas, especially the metropolitan cities and protecting the vulnerable requires urgent attention of our police forces.

The Justice Verma committee has reiterated the importance of overall police reforms in the country. It is essential that we make progress in this regard, taking on board all concerned stake holders.

I am happy to know that the Academy is emphasising 'sensitization orientation Training' focused on vulnerable sections, under-privileged, women, children, minorities, Dalits etc.," the President said.

Pranab Mukherjee said that the success of the government's plans to strengthen the economy and ensure social justice through various welfare schemes depends critically on the maintenance of law and order.

There is a need to provide a safe and secure environment for the successful implementation of the people oriented schemes of the Government of India, he said.

"India continues to be targeted by terrorism from abroad, as well as threats from within, to our internal security. The Government is committed to dealing with Left Wing Extremism in a comprehensive manner.

It is pursuing a two- pronged approach of conducting proactive and sustained operations against extremists and focusing attention on development and governance issues in extremist affected areas.

While we must meet these challenges head on and address them with determination and persistence, the actions of our police forces must respect the human rights of our people and the letter and spirit of our Constitution," the President said.

The President also expressed happiness that the participants in the parade included four officers from the Royal Bhutan Police Service, three from the Maldives Police Service and five from the Nepal Police Service.

"I am sure the bonds forged during the training will further strengthen the relations between our friendly nations. It is also noteworthy that there are 25 lady police officers in this batch," he said.

As many as 148 Officer Trainees passed out from the National Police Academy on Tuesday. Of them, 136 are IPS officers including 22 lady IPS officers. They underwent a rigorous training for 46 weeks in the Academy.