Police wireless wing has less than half the hands it needs

At present,there are 1,300 vacancies. “With the addition of new units and equipment,the number of staff needed now is almost one-and-a-half times more than what it was in 1995. We are operating with just 40 to 45 per cent of the actual requirement. One operator manages eight to 10 police stations in two tehsils. Taking weekly off and leaves into account,there should be five persons for every two tehsils,” said a deputy superintendent of police.

An senior official with the Home Ministry said,“The process to revise the criterion of educational qualification is on for the past few years,which is why no recruitment has taken place. We expect the process to be over soon but there may come a time when the shortage will be severe,as is the case in some districts now.”

The situation at Pune rural and Pune city wireless units is serious. “We require at least 55 staffers to operate the units in the district. At present,we have 16 personnel,of which only 10 are on duty at any given time. For Pune city,the situation is the same. We cannot afford to be short-staffed,” said a police officer.

Suresh Kakkad,the newly appointed director of police wireless wing said,“There are vacancies as the case is in any division. I won’t be able to comment on specific number of vacancies from any particular unit.” He,however,said steps would be taken to fill the gaps.