GS4 · UPSC Mains

Policing in India is often seen as employing harsh and inhumane methods on citizens while dealing with civic issues. This can be seen in the following three incidents: A State government ordered a ban on selling of firecrackers on Diwali. Raids were carried out across the state to apprehend illegal sale of firecrackers. During one such raid, a roadside vendor was arrested in front of his young daughter who was seen to be pleading the police to let go of her father. The police were seen to upturn the small cache of firecrackers displayed for sale on a cot. In another incident, police were seen to upturn a cart of vegetables while enforcing restrictions against opening of shops in a lock-down imposed to control a pandemic. In another lockdown related incident, police personnel canned a young man roaming outside his house, and when his father intervened, both were arrested. All three incidents were caught on camera and the videos went viral on social media sites. As Superintendent of Police, you intend to impart a more humane face to the police in your district and bridge the trust deficit that exist between common citizens and police personals. You find out that the police personals are overworked and many vacancies have been lying pending for years. The police personals are forced to work for long hours without breaks, away from families, including on days of festivals. You also have good reasons to believe the existence of an extortion network involving police in your district with apparent political patronage. The government has invited suggestions from the police heads for overhauling the working of the police and making the police the ideal employer attracting best of the talent to fill pending vacancies. Based on these details, answer: a) How could the three instances of apparent high handedness by police as described be dealt differently? b) Analyze the difference between police service and police force. c) What would be your suggestions to the government? How would you strengthen the moral values among the police personals in your district?

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