September 2018

THREE issues plague the Indian Police today: politicisation, lack of professionalism and alienation from large sections of the society. The current thinking on police reforms is that if the first two concerns are addressed, the third will automatically be dealt with. Unfortunately, experiences from several mature and developed democracies prove that this is not necessarily so. De-politicisation and professionalism make the police efficient, but not moral. They make the force adept at crime-solving, but not problem-solving for the society. In fact, it is not rocket science to believe that even if the Indian Police gets rid of the political influences, and has access to modern technology and huge funds, it will continue to be as brutal as it is today, and continue to misuse and abuse its powers against the weaker sections.