State to sign deal with New York University for reforms in police force

CHANDIGARH: Planning wide-ranging reforms, Punjab Police are set to join hands with New York University (NYU) that will prepare a roadmap for the state force by taking feedback from cops deployed at the groundlevel. The varsity will tackle re-organisation of police stations; restructuring the department; the time and motion study of policing work in districts; community policing; women safety and dignity and creating policing and crime dashboard. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed in the presence of the chief minister next week.

Carrying out reforms in the policing was a key manifesto promise of the Congress.

In the first phase, research will be carried out on how to empower cops till the level of constables, numbering 57,000 in a force of 80,000-odd. Punjab DGP Dinkar Gupta said the idea behind joining hands with the NYU was to increase the capacity-building of individuals in the force and introducing reforms.

“The plan is to energise and motivate lower rungs of police so that they become changeagents for ushering in serviceoriented policy. NYU will do research on how to re-organise and re-structure police according to live issues,” Gupta told HT.

Professor Angela Hawken, director, Marron Institute, a centre of NYU to promote innovation and experimentation in public policy will assist the Punjab Police. IDFC Mumbai, the institute already conducting many policy-related studies with the Union home ministry, will also assist.

Hawken, who is currently holding parleys with the force at the ground level, has visited a few police stations as well and she has already addressed seminars in which heads of different wings of police gave detailed presentations about the problems and the issues they are facing.

“We have already sent SMSs to the entire force to suggest ideas through email. During our interaction with the cops in the border zone, a common demand that emerged was the introduction of shifts,” said Hawken.

The initial focus of research would also be on eradicating the problem of drugs as Hawken had also worked in the field in Mexico, a country that is widely-hit by the drug menace.

Introducing HR heads and studying the village police officer system and introducing Mohalla Police Officers in commissionerates will also be the focus of the study.

› NYU will conduct research on how to re-organise police according to live organisational issues.

DINKAR GUPTA, Punjab DGP