BENGALURU: The State Government is likely to make a major announcement on the proposed revamping of Bengaluru City Police (BCP) on August 15.
According to placed sources, Chief Minister DK Shivakumar may make a formal announcement on the new blueprint of the BCP on Independence Day, and set a later date for its formation.
The new BCP is proposed to be designed on the lines of Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and will be set in motion with a government executive order.
“Though Police Commissioner Seemant Singh had on August 1 submitted a draft proposal on guidelines proposed by the government, to reorganise BCP on the five municipal corporations of the Greater Bengaluru Authority, it is for the Chief Minister to take a final decision. They may tweak the proposal or accept it fully. It is a policy decision,” said sources.
The revamp process will take time. It will involve creation of new posts, police stations, postings, required infrastructure and logistics.
The suggestion is to appoint IGP/DIGP rank officers as commissioners and a DGP rank officer as the chief commissioner.
“There is a shortfall of around 40 per cent IGPs (cadre and ex-cadre) in the Karnataka cadre. Of the seven ranges in the state which are held by IGP rank officers, in Central and North-East range, DIGP rank officers have been posted.
The government may post IG and DIG as commissioners in the new Bengaluru City Police, considering the shortfall, and allocate responsibilities in the freshly drawn police jurisdictions,” added sources.
While Bengaluru is the only metro city in the country to have one commissionerate, it will create a new record if split into five divisions each under a commissioner, who will report to the chief commissioner.
“A positive aspect of the new architecture of the city will be that new police stations will be created to cover more areas and people. The objective behind the revamp is to scale up police efficiency, control increase in crime and maintain law and order. This should also help in monitoring and controlling drug-related crimes, which have increased manifold,” added sources.
