CHANDIGARH, Nov 5: The creation of institutional safeguards to protect rights of the people, especially with relation to custodial deaths, illegal arrests, fake encounters and disappearances, was stressed at a seminar on police reforms here today.The seminar on police reforms and human rights with special reference to crisis situations was organised by the Institute for Development and Communications in response to Centre's assurance to the Supreme Court for speedy implementation of the National Police Commission recommendations to introduce reforms.In the overall context, it was felt as the police had remained in the front line in combating terrorism, it had brought to the surface distortions in the interactive relationship of the force with the community, judiciary and the administrative machinery.The participants were unanimous in their opinion for replacing the Police Act, 1861 in accordance with the present situation.Punjab Director General of Police P.C. Dogra felt the police be made more accountable to the people and the law of the land. The feudal outlook, which was the legacy of the pre-independence, should be changed.He conceded the police force was functioning as a tool in the hands of the vested interests and catering only to about five per cent of the privileged section. This would continue to create trouble and this attitude would have to be reversed by making it people oriented.On the excesses, he said, ``Excesses and successes go hand in hand''.Shanker Sen, adviser, National Human Rights Commission, quoting from the National Police Commission report, said by and large, 60 per cent of the arrests were unnecessary or unjustified.While stressing the need for the police to be accountable, he proposed certain areas where reforms would have to be carried out. This would include measures to insulate the police from political pressure. One of the steps he suggested was fixing the tenure of the director general of police who should not be shifted at the whims of the political bosses.IDC Director Dr. Pramod Kumar said the police reforms must be undertaken along with corresponding reforms in other support institutions like judiciary, civil services and police system. This was necessary because during the crisis situation in Punjab, there was near collapse of civil society, judiciary was non-functioning and political parties had become irrelevant. The non-performance of these supporting institutions produced a greater evil in police, he added.Additional Director General of Police A. P. Bhatnagar dwelt on self- policing as a major instrument of reforms. He also favoured periodic analysis of performance of police functioning for strengthening structural reforms.Rainuka Dagar said police reforms must create conditions for reporting of violation of women rights, especially in crisis situations. The policemen were insensitive to gender issues. This should be rectified by arranging for special training at the lower ranks.Former deputy inspector general of police S.A. Khan presented psychological perspective of the police in India. He said behaviour of the police had come under sharp public focus and the policemen were often accused of violating basic tenets of human rights. As a result, their image had nose dived and police were perceived as a threatening, fear inducing corrupt force by the public.
