PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today told the state legislative assembly that the police department in Goa was understaffed and there was a need to appoint around one thousand personnel.
He also said the government was taking necessary steps to fill the vacant posts.
In a written reply, Parrikaar also said that total 966 posts of policemen of different designations across several police stations and special units in the state are required to be filled.
He tabled a data in the House in response to a query posed by Congress legislator Isidore Fernandes.
The data revealed that special units like Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) is among the agencies that need additional staff.
The short-staffed Goa police force currently has total 6,076 personnel at various levels, including 3,259 constables, the data revealed.
It also showed that the police stations in the urban and coastal areas, including that in Panaji and Calangute, were worst affected in terms of staff strength, along with the special units formed to man the coast and vital establishments like the airports.
The police station protecting the Konkan Railway Corporation's stations need 68 more policemen, including a full time police inspector, it said.
Calangute police station, which covers a vast area comprising the world famous beaches, is short-staffed by 78 policemen, including five police sub inspectors, the data revealed.
Panaji police station, which mans the capital city and surround areas, need 73 more personnel, including seven officers of the assistant sub inspector rank.
A police station manning Mapusa city is short staffed by 64 personnel including five officers to the rank of Police Sub Inspectors.
The ATS needs 60 more staff members, including one superintendent of police, two deputy superintendents of police, two police inspectors and six police sub-inspectors.
One of the most short-staffed facility is Harbour police station near Vasco port town, which needs 80 additional policemen including five police sub inspectors, the data revealed.
Parrikar assured the House that steps were being taken to fill the required posts in the Goa police department.
Responding to another question, the chief minister said there were total 843 policemen, who had been working without promotion for last ten years.
About filling the vacant posts, Parrikar said, "In Goa police department, Police Establishment Board has been formed to take up the issues of promotions of officials of the rank of deputy SP and below the rank of deputy SP."
"Staff are promoted by following the promotion guidelines issued by the government from time-to-time and by following eligibility criteria laid down in Recruitment Rules for the post," he said.