HYDERABAD: Ninety-two per cent of the police force in Telangana feel that they are permitted to do only those tasks that are asked by their seniors, while eleven per cent agreed that Senior officers ask their juniors to do their household jobs/ private-personal jobs even though they are not meant to do it.
Though a majority 83 percent of the force does not agree on this, the statistics show how force is 'misused' by the senior level officials in the department. Undoubtedly one of the most hierarchical of institutions, there are many instances but little talk of the discrimination meted out to those in the lower ranks, particularly the constabulary, by their seniors, the figures from the Status of Policing in India Report 2019 found.
About three-fourths of the police personnel surveyed across the country agreed with the statement that they are permitted to do only those tasks that are asked by their seniors. 33 per cent force from Telangana agree that their seniors use obscene language on their juniors frequently.
Across the country, two in five police personnel report the use of harsh/ bad language by senior officers. While 38 per cent of men agree this, 34 per cent of women faced this. About 36 per cent of the family members feel that senior police personnel behave badly with their subordinate staff and that police system is more unfair towards those at lower Rank. Such unjustifiable service conditions are bound to take a toll on both the efficiency of the police personnel in work, as well as in their personal and physical well-being, the survey found.
Further, more than three-fourths of the police across the country reported that it is not only difficult for them to do their job well, but that they are also not able to devote sufficient time to family. A striking 80 percent of the police personnel across the country, felt the workload is affecting their physical and mental health conditions. Supporting these findings, 71 percent of the force in Telangana feel that the workload makes it difficult for them to do their job well, while 73 percent feel that the workload is affecting physical and mental health Conditions. 81 percent of the force also feels that they are not able to devote enough time to their family due to policing duties, the survey found.
However, every two out of five police personnel reported that there is completely equal treatment. A smaller proportion of 15 per cent police personnel reported that there is no equal treatment at all, while about 41 per cent reported that there is equal treatment to a limited extent. Unsurprisingly, more constabulary reported that equal treatment is not meted out to junior and senior State police personnel.