Next time you meet a polite police person, don't be unduly surprised. The state police are slated to get a crash course in manners and etiquette. The idea mooted by the new state DGP Gauri Shanker Rath to make the police a people friendly force is gradually taking shape at ground level.
Now the munshis and clerks at the police station level will learn the art of registering complaints and first information report (FIR) effectively. They will also be taught how to deal politely with people visiting police stations to lodge complaints.
"We are trying to increase transparency in policing," said Rath at the inauguration of the training centre in the East Singhbhum district. The first of its kind, the centre will train police personnel in professionalism, probity and good manners. The centre at senior police superintendent's office will train 10 policemen every day about the ways and means to write correct and effective complaints and teach about new cyber laws and reforms in the IPC and Cr PC laws.
"The training centre will empower station level personnel with latest information on laws related to cyber crime and reforms in the IPC and Cr PC laws. Besides, they will learn polite ways of dealing with visitors to the station," said Akhilesh Jha, SSP East Singhbhum. "They need to be professional, people friendly and transparent," he added.
All deputy police superintendents of the district will visit the training centre from time to time and conduct sessions with cops. "The trust deficit between the public and the police will be an important issue during the sessions. We need to change the face of the police machinery," said a deputy SP.
And the police jawans are not unhappy to be going back to school either. "A break from regular duty and visiting training centre for study will definitely strengthen our policing skills and help us a lot in day-to-day policing job," said 32-year-old police constable Tarkeshwar Yadav.