The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Now, marks for police performance

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 24, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Now, marks for police performance

Staff Reporter

Move will help the functioning of stations

CHENNAI: To ensure better transparency and administration, the city police intend assessing the performance of stations, beginning this month. The performance appraisal (PA) initiative will not only enable officers to assess the performance of a station on various parameters, but also facilitate station house officers to improve law enforcement and keep crime rate under check.

Police sources told The Hindu on Friday that the assessment methodology could not be similar to that followed by banks.For instance, an Inspector at a particular station may be good and friendly with the public , but if grave crimes were reported or if the rate of house burglaries rose or if there was mishandling of law and order issues, the police would come in for criticism.

The duties have been categorised under different heads such as law and order, crime, traffic, court work and prohibition offences.

On the law and order front, assessment would take into account the number of murder or attempt to murder cases reported in the month, grievous or simple injuries, assault on public servant, rioting, extortion and gang rivalry.

As for crime, the number of murders for gain, dacoity, bag lifting, automobile theft cases, white-collar offences and chain snatching cases would be considered. A station's performance would be assessed on the basis of the number of cases disposed of during the month and whether the officer had gone on appeal in a case in the event of an acquittal. Marks are awarded based on performance in each of the categories.

Officers in the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police would be accountable for the information furnished and there would be negative marks for death in custody, liquor deaths in the jurisdiction, vigilance trap and escape of prisoners.

Random check

A team of officers led by Additional Commissioner of Police S. R. Jangid has devised the procedure. A random check of the figures reveal that a station in Kilpauk police district had done "good work." It had obtained court conviction in a murder case within a month. A station in Triplicane district performed well by promptly securing rowdy elements.

Many police officers serving in the stations welcome the move, but there are also apprehensions.

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