Participatory Policing

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