The mantra of good policing

WATCHING Hindi films as a youngster, I used to wonder why the police always arrived late at the scene and let go the opportunity to thrash the baddies. Years later, its perverse logic was revealed to me by the stolid SHO of the police station where I was attached as a rookie IPS officer for training.

He said if an officer arrived at the spot in time and anything went wrong in his presence, such as violence, use of excess force or evidence being disturbed, he would be held accountable. But if he arrived late, at the most he could be charged with lack of promptness. But I soon realised that by responding quickly, the police could nab the culprits red-handed, secure the crime scene, avoid an escalation of the situation and render quicker help to the victim(s) of violence.

Sadly, most SHOs were in the habit of sending their staff to the spot and stirred themselves only when it was unavoidable. However, a few of them turned their quick response into their strength.

In 1997, I was serving as SP of Rajkot rural district in Gujarat, where a thana — the Wankaner Taluka police station — was without a regular SHO because of vacancies of sub-inspectors in the district. The SHO of the adjoining police station was holding the additional charge of this police station, but the arrangement was not working well.

One day, I visited the police station to see if I could post any of the assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) available there as the temporary SHO. On assessing them, I found Yasmin, a woman ASI, better than the others. However, in those days, women police officers were given either desk work or guard-and-escort duty of female arrestees. No woman officer had been posted as SHO. I asked her if she could run the police station. She said ‘yes’.

ASI Yasmin worked effectively for many months. Once, I asked her how she had managed it. She said, “Sir, on getting information about any incident, I arrive at the spot at the earliest with the staff and take control of the situation.”

Two decades later, working as Commissioner of Police, Surat, I faced a shortage of inspectors and SIs. One thana — the Jehangirpura police station — was without a regular SHO, a post of inspector rank, and I could not find even a spare SI to make him the temporary SHO.

The only SI available in Jehangirpura police station was Hilpa, a probationer. I called her and asked if she could work as SHO. She smiled, thinking it was a joke. I said, “No. I am asking seriously.” At this, she said, “Ok, sir. I will try my best.” So, I made her the in-charge SHO.

What Hilpa lacked in experience, she made up by her enthusiasm. I started getting good reports of her work. Once, I asked her how she was handling it. She said, “Sir, I have rented a house near the police station to be available 24x7. When any incident happens, I rush to the spot and control the situation.”