Incompetent officials should be removed from police force: Reforms commission

Incompetent officials should be removed from police force: Reforms commission

Officials not competent and fit enough should not remain in the police force, according to the Justice CN Ramachandran Nair Commission that was appointed to recommend reforms in the police and jail departments.

In its report to the government, the commission has recommended that disciplinary action, including dismissal, be taken against those who do not excel in criminal investigations and those involved in criminal and corruption cases.

The commission pointed out that more than 16 lakh pending cases in the state that are yet to be proved.

The main duty of the police is to prevent crime and to prove cases. The station house officers should be given time for that.

The police should seek the services of the people's representatives in the local bodies to detect and prevent crimes in advance, the commission said.

Main recommendations

• Police personnel from armed forces camps should be deployed for law and order and traffic duty.

• As much cyber evidence as possible must be found to prove cases.

• The police should not ignore civil cases. The police should not neglect their own work in the name of courts.

• In cases that are lost in court, top officials should study the verdict and take action against the officials found wanting.

• Witnesses must be protected from being influenced by the accused in cases.

• Promotion should not be given to those who can’t prove cases. The failure to prove cases should be recorded in the service book of the officials concerned.

Former jail chief Alexander Jacob and P Vinod Bhattaraipad were members of the commission. The report has special recommendations on cybercrime and prison reforms.

Commission recommends panel for commuting sentences

The commission has recommended that a committee headed by a retired high court judge should be set up at the state level to commute the sentences of prisoners.

Currently, district-level advisory committees recommend reducing the sentences of prisoners or releasing them.

However, the commission has received complaints from prisoners about these committees.

Hence, it is recommended that a state-level committee be set up, the commission said.

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