Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of Home and Border Affairs, Yanthungo Patton on Thursday highlighted the various undertakings being implemented by the Nagaland Police to make the force more efficient so that the faith and trust of the public and society on the force can be established and enhanced. The home minister briefed the media persons during a press conference held at the Conference Hall, PHQ, Kohima.
Body Guards:
The Home Minister informed that as per his earlier direction, the PHQ has been carrying out an exercise reducing the deployment of Body Guards and Static Guards and so far, the department has withdrawn almost 200 Body Guards.
He said this will be an ongoing exercise and Static Guards are also being rationalized.
Mention maybe made here that there almost 3000 personnel of Nagaland Police attached either as Body Guards or for non-Police duties. Patton on March 27 had directed DGP Nagaland to minimize such deployments and attachments within two months, so that more man power is available for policing and law and order works.
Confinement to Quarter Guard:
On confinement of Quarter Guard, Patton observed that there was a practice of confining of erring and delinquent Police personnel to Unit Quarter Guards which was a method of punishment and dealing with indiscipline. However, he maintained that confinement to Quarter Guard is an “excessive punishment” and “inhumane”.
Towards this he informed that Nagaland Police has decided to do away with the old method of confinement of police personnel to quarter guard for disciplinary reasons, nevertheless, he said, “when any personnel is of imminent danger to his own life or others, he may be confined to quarter guards and in such case, immediate FIR shall be lodged at the nearest Police Station by the immediate Supervisory Officer or the Unit Commander.”
Unauthorized absence from duty:
Taking strong exception of police personnel being absent from their duty stations without due leave, Patton pointed out that these are acts of misconduct, dereliction of duty and indiscipline which in turn affects the command and control of the senior officers adversely especially when senior officers are themselves absent from duty stations. He directed the DGP and PHQ to report un-reasonable absentees from duties so that appropriate actions are initiated against those erring police personnel.
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Government Vehicles with retired Officers:
The Home Minister also took note of the department facing shortage of vehicles for law and order duties and directed PHQ to undertake an exercise to withdraw vehicles attached to retired officers, especially those attached for more than 3 months.
He also requested the retired officers to co-operate towards this exercise in the interest of public services.
Further, observing that some vehicles which were condemned and allotted to various people have still not changed the registration numbers and are still using Police stickers, Patton requested that such vehicles should be re-registered immediately otherwise, the concern people will be liable to be confiscated whether they are using old number or are being run un-registered or on Applied for.
In conclusion, he said all these apparent exercises or initiatives are being undertaken by the department in the interest and for the welfare of the people as a whole and appealed to the people to extend full co-operation.
