http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities...-50000-more-men/article9200306.ece?ref=tpnews
Presently, the city police have 78,194 personnel
If the latest request by the Delhi Police is approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs,
the force’s strength will be enhanced by 54,195 personnel, taking the overall number to well over a lakh.
In a letter sent to the MHA on September 30, the Delhi police have stated that the city needs
additional 54,195 policemen at different levels, from senior officers to constables, to ensure sufficient security.
Long-standing demand
The letter has already been cleared by Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung. Since the recommendation for the additional force was made by a committee which had a representative from the MHA as its member, senior officers are hopeful that the long-standing demand of the police for more men would be met this time round.
“In the past when similar requests were placed, the MHA recommended that the police should focus on technology rather than increasing manpower. But we need policemen to operate technology because there is no substitute to beat policing,” said a senior Delhi Police officer.
“Modernisation is a continuous process with projects like criminal dossier system, online applications, additional patrols, traffic units, cyber cell and women help desk among others. But even technology needs people to handle it,” the officer added.
Presently, the city police have 78,194 personnel and are at least 8,000 men short of their sanctioned strength of 86,653. The force comprises policemen deployed in VVIPs security, traffic police, special branch and many other units. Only 32,000 policemen are deployed at various police stations and investigation duties.
High-level committee
Joint Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Praveer Ranjan told
The Hindu that the high-level committee set up in June had submitted the report last month after which the letter was sent to the MHA through the L-G. As for the current status of the letter: it’s been cleared by the L-G but awaits final approval by MHA.
“The committee looked into several norms of recruitment and calculated the shortage in every unit, district and even at the level of police station and then came up with the final figure," said Mr. Ranjan, himself a member of the committee. The committee also comprised Joint Secretary (Union Territory) of the MHA and Special Commissioner of Police (New Delhi Range).
Mr. Ranjan added that the recruitment will be carried out in three phases in the next three financial years and the final revised strength would also factor in the retirements in these years and the promotions already announced. The final figure would, however, cross the one lakh mark, said Mr. Ranjan.
