Community Policing -- Need of the Millennium

30/03/2009Professor, Political Science, JU, Jammu, J&K, India. 1

Community Policing -- Need of the Millennium

Anurag Gangal

An Interaction with the Indian Police Officers

Sher -i- Kashmir Police Academy, Udhampur, J&K

Monday, 30 March 2009, Navratra - 04

30/03/2009Professor, Political Science, JU, Jammu, J&K, India.

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Age of Civil Society

� National defence and security also going towards individual centred human security for PQLI, HDI and HSI of UNDP

� Policing also needs to widen its spectrum from merely ‘law and order maintenance agency’ to an institution of service to every individual person


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Defining Community

Policing - I

� Chandigarh Police defines it as:“…traditional law enforcement…prevention, problem solving, community involvement and partnership. The community policing model balances reactive responses with pro-active problem solving, centered on the causes of the crime and disorder. Community policing requires police and citizens to join together as partners in the course of both identifying and effectively addressing issues.”http://www.chandigarhpolice.nic.in/why_community_policing%201.htm


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Defining Community

Policing - II

� According to US Department of Justice: “Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.” http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?item=36


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Traditional Police as a Force

� Who, what, when, where, why

and how type of questions

about a crime committed are

very important for traditional

police functioning.

� Prevention of crime is not so important in the traditional structural mould.


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Community Policing Main Values-I

� Philosophy, Vision, Objective

� Decentralised decision making,

planning, strategy and accountability

� Fixed Geographical Areas, Using voluntary resources also

� Emphasis on interaction and community participation


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Community Policing Main

Values-II

� Kiran Bedi’s 3Cs prescription:

Corrective, Collective and Community oriented action like the Reform in Tihar Jail, New Delhi

� Priority to Prevention of crime

� Yes Madam, Sir – an Australian Megan Doneman’sdocumentary on Kiran Bedi (completed in seven years –2001 to 2008)

� The earliest example of modern community policing in India apparently starts with Kiran Bedi when she joined Indian Police Service in 1972.

Kiran Bedi as UN Civil Police Advisor to Secretary General Kofi Anan in 2003


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Meditation and Community Policing


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Other Values of Community Policing� Problem solving through increasing interaction between

police and community� Interaction on individual, social and institutional basis� Reforms in jails� Doing away with third degree methods� Using modern technology and modernisation of police

stations and other police institutions� Protection of fundamental human rights� Training in public relations� More modern and efficient means of transport and

communications� Institutionalisation of quality assurance and a regular

public feedback system


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Media, Police and Community

� Media must not be shunned away

� It can help in improving the public image of police in India

� Community policing will also help boost reputation of police in India

� Media coverage can help focus policing and community policing

� Media is also an important link between police and community


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Learning Community Policing on the Internet

� This is a very useful website: http://www.indiapolice.in/index.aspx


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Widening Community Policing

� Community Policing, on experimental level, has started in several states in India such as J&K, Punjab, Himachal, Delhi, UP, MP, Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and others.

� The world over it is gaining ever wider momentum


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Poster of Film Yes Madam, Sir


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Conclusion: Challenges are Many

� Time is passing by while challenges and opportunities are knocking at the door.

� Grasp them lest we regret.

� The need is to “Come out from shadows of the cave into the open sky” as Plato also said in his Republic: Concerning Justice.


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Select Bibliography

� Alexander, P. J., Policing India in the New Millennium, Allied Pub.: New Delhi, 2002.

� Bedi, Kiran, see for details of all her books http://www.kiranbedi.com/

� Lyons, T., William, The Politics of Community Policing: Rearranging the Power to Punish, Paperback, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2002.

� Mangun, John, “Community Policing and Wealth Building”Global Politician, Saturday, March 28, 2009, Online Journal, http://www.globalpolitician.com/2364-third

Community Policing -- Need of the Millennium

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