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| Subham Ghosh |
The famous
community-based and welfare policing scheme, popularly referred to as the
"beat box" system, was implemented in Delhi (West). It was the
brainchild of Dr. Kiran Bedi, India's first lady IPS officer. She
believed entirely in reformative policing, in which the criminals are to be
reformed rather than treated inhumanely in some putrid prison cells. This
aspect of Mrs. Bedi was vividly displayed in her renowned reform measures
initiated in the infamous Tihar jail.
In the
"beat box" system of policing, the local beat constables were made to
swear to help people in need within his/her designated area.However,
the most interesting and game-changing aspect of this system was that the
'blue' or 'white' boxes were funded from neighbourhood donations. This not only
excluded any additional financial burden on the police force, but also actively
involved the community members.Each of
these beats was manned for three hours daily by the assigned local beat
constable. On top of this, an effective system of monitoring was also
implemented. The SHO (Station House Officer) briefed the local beat constables
daily.
The crime
rates in these areas dropped conspicuously during her tenure. This also
highlighted the fact that a community-driven policing approach, with the role
of police personnel limited to that of facilitators, is the most effective one.The morale
of the police constables was extremely low when Dr. Bedi took charge. This was
due to multifarious reasons. Most prominent among them were low salaries and
extraneous interferences.
Once this
system was initiated, the constables' sagging morale was lifted due to the
importance attached to his new role. The constables started to treat the beat
under his purview as his home. The local beat constable, in effect, acted like
a peace counsellor and an arbiter. Petty disputes, which would have entailed
lengthy and cumbersome processes within the legal procedures, were settled
mostly in an amicable manner and that too in no time.
The common
people in the community too felt empowered as they were heard readily. The
beats became mini police stations in effect.
A list
containing the details of the persons with a criminal antecedent was also
distributed. This list was circulated among the police stations and local
leaders. This also helped the people in general as they could verify the
background of a person. This is to say that a person can check whether the
other person is in that 'ready reckoner' list or not.
Inspired by
this ingenious method of policing, Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir have also
started this participatory policing process in their own state. In fact,
Mahbubnagar district in Andhra Pradesh has introduced a beat tracking system, software
which tracks the movements of beat constables.
So
inspiring and innovative this method was that it even got a mention in the
citation of the Ramon Magsaysay award Mrs. Bedi received in 1994 in Manila.
To quote Dr. Bedi herself, 'We have found that if the police take one step forward, the
public responds by taking five steps forward.'
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Subham ghosh has a keen interest in participatory policing.You may write to him at indianpolicy2010@gmail.com
