By Aires Rodrigues
"The police are not here to create disorder. The police are there to preserve order" - is what the former Mayor of Chicago Richard Daley once said.
Goa had always been known for its peace and tranquility. However, lately Goa has deteriorated on the law and order front. The situation is further alarming with the increasing number of autocratic acts by the men in uniform. The latest is the case of an innocent Valpoi resident Vincent Fernandes being abused, beaten up and arrested for no reason whatsoever by Police Sub-inspector Dattaguru Sawant. This PSI is no novice to such behavior and was earlier even dismissed from service for similar misconduct.
In a civilized and law abiding society nobody can raise a hand at others, not even a finger. Such an act of misconduct coming especially from an officer who was supposed to be enforcing the law has to be condemned in the strongest terms. While there can be no compromise with respect to the rule of law, any Police brutality makes a sheer mockery of the law.
One cannot deny that many in the police force especially the lower constabulary have to work under unacceptable and inhuman conditions and for this they need to have our support and concern. But when they abuse their power and authority they should not be spared the whip.
Any inappropriate action taken by police officers in connection with his official duties would amount to police misconduct. Such police misconduct can lead to a miscarriage of justice and sometimes involves discrimination. In an effort to control police misconduct we today have the Police Complaints Authority and the Human Rights Commission which would have to play a very vigilant and pro-active role in policing the police.
Police misconduct would include a false confession extracted, illegal arrest, falsified evidence, intimidation, corruption, repression, sexual abuse, police brutality, and of course any off-duty misconduct. Effective policing can never be about flexing muscles and hurling abuses.
Police should be allowed to freely discharge their duty to ensure that law and order prevails. For good public policing the politicians should never use the police to target their political opponents and to try silence voices of dissent. Police act high-handedly either at the instance of the politicians or break the law themselves because of the assured political patronage. The Supreme Court of India has time and again envisaged that the Police should be insulated from any political interference and that the Prosecution too should be independent in its functioning. Today the Goa police and the Prosecution lack freedom in discharging their duties. The Police and the Prosecution have been functioning at the dictates and on the instructions of the politicians.
Politicians in power have done all they can over the years to systematically erode the authority of Goa's Director General of Police (DGP). This sordid state of affairs still persists with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at the helm. Even in the matter of posting, from constables to Inspectors and even Dy SPs and SP’s, Ministers have appropriated the power to assign postings. The intent and manner behind depriving the DGP the authority in such routine administrative matters is deplorable. The damage done to the status and position of the DGP is incalculable and unacceptable. Today the DGP cannot even transfer or discipline a constable.
Politicians publicly speak about the independence of the police and of law taking its own course. The ground reality is very different as they interfere and intervene in the day to day working of the Police and the Prosecution. We have many good and smart Policemen and Prosecutors too. But unfortunately their brains, investigative and prosecuting skills are in the custody of the politicians whose line they have to tow. In effect they have been bound and gagged and this has adversely affected their morale and credibility. If no immediate corrective steps are taken we may reach a point of no return.
It is time to make the Police and the Prosecution function as a professionally competent body with utmost courtesy and not as mere agents of the political party in power. Law and order is a key to the prosperity and well being of any society. Today crimes are on the increase. At times the Police lack the will to investigate because of political pulls and pressures and the Prosecutors also are denied the freedom to do their job.
In their Mission Statement the Goa Police vow to give people an efficient, law abiding and responsive law enforcement machinery. May every cop from the DGP to the constable endeavor to fulfill their mission. May these words of Andy Taylor inspire them "When you're a lawman and you're dealing with people, you do a whole lot better if you go not so much by the book but by the heart." Let us hope the Goa police will try and perform their best. We need to see the day when every citizen will be able to proudly say Thank you, officer. We love the Goa police.
(writer could be contacted on 9822684372 or airesrodrigues@yahoo.com)
"The police are not here to create disorder. The police are there to preserve order" - is what the former Mayor of Chicago Richard Daley once said.
Goa had always been known for its peace and tranquility. However, lately Goa has deteriorated on the law and order front. The situation is further alarming with the increasing number of autocratic acts by the men in uniform. The latest is the case of an innocent Valpoi resident Vincent Fernandes being abused, beaten up and arrested for no reason whatsoever by Police Sub-inspector Dattaguru Sawant. This PSI is no novice to such behavior and was earlier even dismissed from service for similar misconduct.
In a civilized and law abiding society nobody can raise a hand at others, not even a finger. Such an act of misconduct coming especially from an officer who was supposed to be enforcing the law has to be condemned in the strongest terms. While there can be no compromise with respect to the rule of law, any Police brutality makes a sheer mockery of the law.
One cannot deny that many in the police force especially the lower constabulary have to work under unacceptable and inhuman conditions and for this they need to have our support and concern. But when they abuse their power and authority they should not be spared the whip.
Any inappropriate action taken by police officers in connection with his official duties would amount to police misconduct. Such police misconduct can lead to a miscarriage of justice and sometimes involves discrimination. In an effort to control police misconduct we today have the Police Complaints Authority and the Human Rights Commission which would have to play a very vigilant and pro-active role in policing the police.
Police misconduct would include a false confession extracted, illegal arrest, falsified evidence, intimidation, corruption, repression, sexual abuse, police brutality, and of course any off-duty misconduct. Effective policing can never be about flexing muscles and hurling abuses.
Police should be allowed to freely discharge their duty to ensure that law and order prevails. For good public policing the politicians should never use the police to target their political opponents and to try silence voices of dissent. Police act high-handedly either at the instance of the politicians or break the law themselves because of the assured political patronage. The Supreme Court of India has time and again envisaged that the Police should be insulated from any political interference and that the Prosecution too should be independent in its functioning. Today the Goa police and the Prosecution lack freedom in discharging their duties. The Police and the Prosecution have been functioning at the dictates and on the instructions of the politicians.
Politicians in power have done all they can over the years to systematically erode the authority of Goa's Director General of Police (DGP). This sordid state of affairs still persists with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at the helm. Even in the matter of posting, from constables to Inspectors and even Dy SPs and SP’s, Ministers have appropriated the power to assign postings. The intent and manner behind depriving the DGP the authority in such routine administrative matters is deplorable. The damage done to the status and position of the DGP is incalculable and unacceptable. Today the DGP cannot even transfer or discipline a constable.
Politicians publicly speak about the independence of the police and of law taking its own course. The ground reality is very different as they interfere and intervene in the day to day working of the Police and the Prosecution. We have many good and smart Policemen and Prosecutors too. But unfortunately their brains, investigative and prosecuting skills are in the custody of the politicians whose line they have to tow. In effect they have been bound and gagged and this has adversely affected their morale and credibility. If no immediate corrective steps are taken we may reach a point of no return.
It is time to make the Police and the Prosecution function as a professionally competent body with utmost courtesy and not as mere agents of the political party in power. Law and order is a key to the prosperity and well being of any society. Today crimes are on the increase. At times the Police lack the will to investigate because of political pulls and pressures and the Prosecutors also are denied the freedom to do their job.
In their Mission Statement the Goa Police vow to give people an efficient, law abiding and responsive law enforcement machinery. May every cop from the DGP to the constable endeavor to fulfill their mission. May these words of Andy Taylor inspire them "When you're a lawman and you're dealing with people, you do a whole lot better if you go not so much by the book but by the heart." Let us hope the Goa police will try and perform their best. We need to see the day when every citizen will be able to proudly say Thank you, officer. We love the Goa police.
(writer could be contacted on 9822684372 or airesrodrigues@yahoo.com)
