Police stations to get detectives to probe criminal cases

The next time you visit a police station to lodge a complaint, you could be talking to a ‘detective’. A recent ordinance on police reforms promulgated in the state provides for the creation of a separate investigation wing in every police station with sole focus on investigating criminal cases.

This move is expected to give a thrust to speedy investigation of cases as it enables specialisation of police personnel.

To suit their role, the government has decided to christen the  personnel in the investigation wing as ‘detectives’. Henceforth, they would be called ‘detective constable’, ‘detective head constable’ and ‘detective sub-inspector’.

Another crucial aspect of the ordinance is that the personnel and officers in the investigation wing will not be disturbed very often by being drafted for bandobust or other such duties.  They would be free from  other duties and can focus on picking up leads in cases and take them to the logical conclusion.

“They shall not be diverted to any bandobust work except with the prior approval of the Zonal IGP or the CoP,” reads the ordinance published on September 10 in the gazette.

“When a police officer investigating a case is diverted to law and order issues, he would not have continuity in carrying out the probe. He may not be even able to examine a witness in the case at the appropriate time. This move will help in clearing the backlog of cases pending,” said former Director General of Police R Nataraj.

The ordinance was published in compliance with the guidelines of the Supreme Court on a PIL on police reforms filed by former DGPs Prakash Singh and NK Singh.