Will new Coimbatore Commissioner of Police keep reforms going?

Will new Coimbatore Commissioner of Police keep reforms going?

Though transfers are part of the administrative process, the work of the previous two officers has left a lasting impression on the force.

COIMBATORE: Coimbatore will get a new Commissioner of Police soon, the third in less than a year. Though transfers are part of the administrative process, the work of the previous two officers has left a lasting impression on the force.

S Davidson Devasirvatham, an officer in the ADGP rank, was appointed as CoP in March by the Election Commission of India ahead of the Assembly elections. An officer with Intelligence background, he was disturbed by the graft allegations against Intelligence (Station IS) personnel and scrapped the wing and transferred seven personnel to the Armed Reserve unit. It was the first time a major action was taken against the intelligence section as Davidson felt the allegations showed the unit in bad light. Davidson was eventually transferred and appointed as chief of State Intelligence. 

IGP Deepak M Damor took over as Commissioner in May and has implemented several reforms to eliminate corruption and improve quality of investigation. "His efforts were well-received. Now that he has been replaced, there are expectations that his successor should retain all that he implemented," an officer said.

In fact, some of Damor's initiatives have been implemented across the State. "Damor ordered not to deploy women and elderly constables on VIP bandobust where they may wait for hours on the road without access to food and toilet. This was has been implemented across the State. Similarly, when the pandemic was raging, women personnel were assigned work in stations. Also, Damor introduced public feedback system and station receptionist system along with women help desk," an Assistant Commissioner recalled.

The high point of Damor's reforms was provision of mandatory weekly offs to officers in the rank of deputy commissioners to constables. The government recently extended the scheme to the entire police force.

Damor is also credited with improving the quality of investigation. He renamed Crime Division as the Investigation Wing and the powers of law & order and investigation wings were restructured. He ordered the former to investigate cases once the Law & Order personnel registered FIR. Law & Order personnel were tasked with crime prevention but could investigate select cases like those booked under local and special laws and section 174 CrPC. It yielded better results," said officers who worked with him.  "In addition, he introduced the practice of conducting tests and holding training sessions to all officers which improved their investigation skill," an inspector said. Damor has been posted as joint director of DVAC at a time when several politicians from the earlier regime are under the lens. Pradip Kumar, Additional Commissioner, Traffic, Chennai will replace Damor. With two officers transferred after a short stint, there is expectation among the personnel that new chief should continue the reforms implemented his predecessors.

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