BENGALURU: Police recruitment and promotion procedures need radical change, Director-General of Police (CID) Bipin Gopalakrishna told Express on Wednesday.
“We need to put an end to colonial practices like recruiting people through the Indian Police Service (IPS). We should democratise the force so that only merit is rewarded,” said Gopalakrishna, a 1982 batch IPS officer, ahead of his retirement on Friday.
Change the System
We need to put an end to multiple levels of entry and have single level recruitment.
Now, we recruit constables, sub-inspectors, direct DySPs and direct IPS. Like in many other countries, we should recruit everyone as a constable and let them come up in service.
Here, IPS officers are like heroes; they come directly as Superintendents of Police. How can clearing history and geography exams help in policing? Once we clear the exams, that’s the end and there is no mid-term appraisal.
Constable Work
All I am asking is, why should a constable not become an SP or DG? Why should merit not be rewarded? All cases are detected by junior-level officers, constables, head constables and sub-inspectors. We (IPS) only go for photo-ops and take credit. We need to democratise the system and not build it on the lines of the army.
Ushering Change
Only the DG&IGP can make such suggestions to the state government, or the chief minister can take decisions on his own since policing is a state subject.
Tech Detection
Application of technology in investigation is the only major change I have noticed ... Mobile phones help us track down the accused, or at least help us get their location ...We in the police department need to be prepared to face these challenges. We are not fully prepared to deal with modern crimes. But we are able to work better with the advent of technology.
I Was Overlooked
I felt sad when my seniority and service were overlooked when the government chose a police commissioner for Bengaluru. As a 1982-batch IPS officer, I was the senior-most among those eligible, but an officer from the 1987 batch was appointed. I felt bad. They made me DG and told me it was a promotion. I knew it was not. The DG rank was also taken back and I was again made ADGP. Many of my friends suggested I go to court. I did not. However, I got promoted as DG in due course.
Political Hand
When people are in trouble, they naturally approach politicians and they in turn call us. You can call it interference, or their duty as elected representatives. If a politician doesn’t call the SP or a senior police officer, he will lose face among his followers. Most of the time, that is the reason politicians call police officers. It is a different matter if they call us for personal work or to interfere in our work.
BMTC Glory Days
Being Managing Director, BMTC, was the best post I have ever held. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was the boss and I was responsible for the performance of the corporation. The results there are seen by everyone. That is not the case in any posting in the Police Department.
Lottery Scam
Till CBI takes over, the CID will continue to investigate the case. We are on the job.
After Retirement
I plan to work with retired inspectors, SPs and lawyers to help common people. We will open an office in Bengaluru in September.