Centralizing the Investigation function

An intriguing resource allocation problem which Police Reforms grapples with is the separation of the Investigative and the “Law and Order” responsibilities at the Police Station.

Investigation of crimes and maintenance of law and order are two separate functions requiring skill sets and resources which are quite different.  An investigator of crimes has to sift through evidence, speak with witnesses, prepare a charge-sheet and then participate in court proceedings.  Maintaining law and order, more often involves standing guard at innocuous places and filing suo moto FIRs if the circumstances so warrant.  Police Reforms Commissions have therefore very correctly recommended that the two functions be separated at the Police Station level.

However, in achieving this separation at undermanned and under-resourced Police Stations across the country, the problem arises on the manner in which manpower and resources be optimally split up between the two functions.  Suppose there are three inspectors and eight sub-inspectors in a rural Police Station with jurisdiction over about one hundred square kms.  Two inspectors and five sub-inspectors, let’s say, are allocated to solving crimes.  That leaves one inspector and three sub-inspectors to maintain law and order among two hundred thousand people inhabiting thirty villages.  What if now criminal activity declines but the area faces a land agitation?   The investigators will be under-utilized while those responsible for law and order will find themselves over-stretched.

One way out of the situation is to centralize the investigating function and move it out of the Police Station altogether.  In each Police District, the investigative department can be based at the SP’s office.  In the cities, the investigator may be based at the DC’s office or at the head quarters of the Commisionerates. 

“Investigating” SHOs can conduct the investigation of crimes, backed by a specialized team of sleuths and supported by a greater concentration of tools for investigation.  There can be more effective liaison with the Forensic departments and probably also with the Public Prosecutors in the courts.  There is also scope for more meaningful exchange of intelligence and learning within a more compact team.

In the Police Stations, the SHO can focus only on maintaining law and order.  He also needs to ensure that all FIRs are faithfully recorded and transmitted to the investigating team for further action.  All ranks below the SHO at the Police Station will be focussed on only maintaining law and order.  Also they can engage more on intelligence gathering in the locality as well, now that they are freed from undertaking investigation.

 This can have the effect of significantly reducing the shortage of infrastructure and resources at the Police Stations.  There would not be further need of maintaining records of cases and evidence at the Police Station.

On the other hand the healthy effects of centralization of a specialist role will show in greater effectiveness in solving crimes. 

The investigating teams can be developed as centres of excellence, with adequate training inputs and cutting-edge technology. 

Scarce trained investigative resource will be deployed optimally where crime has occurred.  A common knowledge pool of case histories will further improve effectiveness.

Possibly it’s time to do this.   

(Originally published in "The Broad Mind - Opinions from the Takshashila Community" on 21.06.2011)

Opportunity for Bihar

Shri Nitish Kumar deserves our pranam and heartiest congratulations on his return as Chief Minister with the overwhelming mandate of the electorate. 

The first task of governance is to ensure the rule of law.  In his first innings at the helm of the state, he restored the “rule of law” in Bihar.  After suffering from lawlessness and anarchy over generations, the common man could again walk safely on the streets.  The mafia dons were put behind bars and their power crushed.  Junior officers and engineers in the state government were empowered to make governance more efficient and check corruption at higher places.  The process can be continued to make Bihar the role model for policing in the country. 

It needs to be ensured that the police stations compulsorily record all offences reported to them.  This will make the criminal justice system accessible to one and all, irrespective of socio-economic, gender and caste disparities.  This effort would make the state par excellence in protecting the life, liberty and honour of its citizens. 

Once Bihar is universally accepted as a safe place to live in, the economic resurgence of the state can be focussed on.  A start has been made earlier by facilitating the creation of infrastructure like highways. Some industrialists have also been invited to start new projects primarily in the areas of food processing and renewable energy, although that has mostly remained at the level of projects sanctioned.  However initiatives are now required which would touch the rank and file and create strong internally sustained growth.

Universities like Nalanda and Vikramshila in Bihar were the IITs and IIMs of ancient India.  Although these universities have long ceased to function, education has continued to remain uppermost in the priorities of the people of Bihar.  Parents overlook their privations to ensure education for their children.  Unfortunately, owing to the uncertain environment in the state and the dismal situation of local educational institutions, they have to perforce send their children to study outside the state.  Generations of Biharis have been studying, working, spending and investing outside their home state.  As a ballpark, one-fifth of the one hundred million population of the state comprise the youth.  A significant part of Bihar’s youngest and brightest are studying and living outside the state.  Those who cannot afford higher education outside the state, drop out of school after class ten, the standard until which they are assured of a midday meal in school, and join the migrant labour force.  Assuming that ten per cent of Bihar’s twenty million youth, that is two million students, are able to continue their higher education outside the state, at an average expenditure of Rupees Two Lacs, this translates into an annual outflow of Rupees Forty thousand Crores. It is time now to reverse this flood by making quality higher education available within the state.

A beginning was made in primary education by equipping the girl student with the basic and convenient mode of transport, namely the bicycle.  While continuing the initiative in primary education, the time has now come to bring about a renaissance in higher education.  The improved law and order situation offers a convivial environment for that today. 

New centres of educational excellence would require limited land and capital expenditure compared to heavy industry. There is also abundant supply of teachers available to teach at such new institutions.  It is estimated that the capital city of Patna can support at least five institutes of higher education, whether in engineering or medicine or computer applications. Other satellite towns can support two such institutions each.  Twenty thousand students in each university, with an annual expenditure of Rupees Two Lacs per annum per student translate into a turnover of Rupees Four hundred Crores per university.  Support services to the teachers and students would lead to the growth of ancillary services around each such educational centre of excellence.  Such growth of the service industry around educational institutions would start attracting the migrant Bihari labourer back to the state.

Responding to the larger volume of demand for goods and services, industry will on their own accord start installing new production capacity.  This will lead to a demand led industrial resurgence.

The renaissance in higher education in Bihar will lay the foundation for the state’s future economic prosperity and would stand the country in good stead in the years to come.  It is our earnest hope that Bihar can thus emerge as the engine for growth in the country.   

(Originally published in "The Broad Mind - Opinions from the Takshashila Community" on 25.11.2010)