‘Showcasing your artistic talent while in uniform is against rules’: Bengaluru cops warned of disciplinary action over reels

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda issued a circular after some officers uploaded Instagram reels and YouTube shorts of themselves dancing or acting in uniform.

His statement came a day after issuing a circular in which he said that creating reels in uniform not only amounts to indiscipline but is also against the department's rules. The circular was issued after some police personnel uploaded Instagram reels and YouTube shorts of themselves dancing or acting in uniform. (File photo)

Following several complaints of police personnel misusing social media while on duty by creating reels and shorts, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda on Tuesday said the department would initiate action if they found any officials engaged in doing such acts.

His statement came a day after issuing a circular in which he said that creating reels in uniform not only amounts to indiscipline but is also against the department’s rules. The circular was issued after some police personnel uploaded Instagram reels and YouTube shorts of themselves dancing or acting in uniform.

Dayananda said uniform represents discipline, commitment, and dedication. “Acts like this (reels on social media) damage the image. Creating reels about unrelated topics while in uniform and uploading them on social media will be considered a violation of the rules,” he said.

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“Showcasing your artistic talent while in uniform is against the rules,” he added.

The Bengaluru police social media wing has been asked to keep vigil and monitor police personnel’s social media activities and report any violations to seniors for further action.

A police officer said that the presence of police personnel on social media, especially reels and shorts with unrelated content of officers in uniform, was also causing embarrassment to the department. “From constables to senior IPS officials, there are thousands of fan pages, and even it has to be curtailed where these police personnel are being portrayed as demigods,” the officer said.

Police monitor fan pages of history-sheeters

The Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Bengaluru police recently conducted an investigation and found hundreds of fan pages of history-sheeters promoting them. Additional Commissioner of Police (crime) Chandragupta had ordered an investigation to scan Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. A police officer said it was shocking to see that the pages were created and managed by minors and students in the name of rowdy sheeters.

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“We have called these minor children’s parents and advised them not to run these pages. It can have a negative influence on the youth who promote notorious rowdy sheeters. We have closed about 60 such accounts which ran fan pages,” a police officer said.

Fan pages were opened in the names of rowdy sheeters such as Wilson Garden Naga, Onte Rohit, Silent Sunil, Kunigal Giri, and many others.

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