Dy CM pushes for reforms in Nagaland Police

Kohima, 24 March (MTNews): Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister and minister in-charge of Home and Border Affairs, Y Patton on Friday said that reorganizing and restructuring the Police force is needed to improve the efficiency of Nagaland Police. He said this while speaking at the Nagaland Police senior officers and Unit Commanders meet-cum-Crime Conference at Police Headquarters in Kohima.

30% of police vehicles would have to be scrapped: Dy CM

According to Home Minister Y Patton, around 30% of the police force’s present vehicles would have to be scrapped as they are above the cut-off year of over 15 years.

Following directives from the Government of India on Vehicle Scrappage Policy 2021, Nagaland Police is preparing to restock its vehicular force and take off the road old vehicles.

According to the Vehicle Scrappage Policy 2021 introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat, vehicles that are not fit for taking on the roads or old and unfit vehicles, creating pollution and harming the environment will be scrapped. A fitness test for the vehicle will be undertaken after a defined period.

While in accordance with the Motor Vehicle Laws in India, a vehicle is considered fit for 15 years and beyond that, such vehicles begin polluting the environment.

The Vehicle Scrappage Policy will be enforced from June 1, 2024, for private vehicles while commercial vehicles that are older than 15 years will be deregistered from April 1, 2023, onwards. It will happen only when a vehicle fails the test or the registration certificate has not been issued.

According to Y Patton, the implementation of this policy is expected to affect the working and efficiency of Nagaland police as all policing activities depend on vehicular support to ferry the police personnel to and fro.

It was also mentioned that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of India is planning to promote the setting up of Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities across the country.

Patton tells DGP to take action against police found under influence of intoxicants

Yanthungo Patton, the Deputy Chief Minister of Nagaland, has instructed the state police Chief to take strict action against police personnel found under the influence of intoxicants.

Patton, who is in charge of the Home Department, met with senior police officials and unit commanders at police headquarters in Kohima on Friday, in the presence of DGP Rupin Sharma and Additional DGPs RP Kikon and Sandeep Tamgadge, to review the state’s law and order situation.

Maintaining that police officers are the department’s eyes and ears, as well as the citizens’ guardians in terms of safety and security, he stated that the public has high expectations of the force.

However, the Deputy CM remarked that many police officers are caught under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and he stated that such misconduct or indiscipline belittles and degrades the department’s image and reputation.

He stressed that any misconduct or indiscipline by workers should be dealt with harshly and punitive action taken if required.

He also praised the police department for the security measures implemented during the recently finished state Assembly elections, adding that, with the exception of a few isolated incidents of poll-related violence, the situation in the state was peaceful.

Patton orders removal of 3,000 personnel on non-police duty

Deputy CM and minister in charge of Home, Yanthungo Patton has ordered the removal of over 3000 police personnel attached either as bodyguards or for non-police duties on Friday.

During a meeting with senior police officers and unit commanders at the Police Headquarters (PHQ) in Kohima, Patton directed all unnecessary attachments of bodyguards be withdrawn in two months.

He said the withdrawal would include unnecessary bodyguard attachments to bureaucrats, technocrats, retired bureaucrats, retired technocrats, former MLAs, retired officers, and others.
He emphasized the critical need to decrease such deployments and attachments so that more manpower is available for policing and law enforcement.

“There is a pressing need to reduce such deployments and attachments so that more manpower is available for policing and law enforcement,” Patton said.

Maintaining that Nagaland Police has grown from a 1,000-strong force in the 1980s to a force of approximately 26,000 in 2023, he stated that there is an urgent need to improve the department’s efficiency, which can be accomplished through re-organization and restructuring the police force so that better and optimal utilization of manpower and resources can be undertaken.

He also requested reasonable suggestions for budgetary allocations to deal with new-age crimes such as cybercrime, cyber fraud, economic crimes, and breaches of cyber security.

Police prioritized ‘War on Drugs’: DGP Rupin Sharma

DGP Rupin Sharma stated at a meeting on Friday with Deputy CM Patton, senior police officers and unit commanders at the Police Headquarters that the state police had prioritized the “War on Drugs” as their top priority.

Recognizing the need of a multi-pronged strategy to combat the menace, the DGP stated that they have opted to educate police officers about the ill-effects of the menace and the gravity of the problem.

The DGP also urged police officers who were addicted to alcohol or drugs to come forward willingly so that they could be treated; otherwise, they would risk suspension or termination from the department if detected.

“Nagaland Police may be the first in the country to issue this anti-narcotics pledge to all of its personnel,” he added.

The DGP stated that Nagaland Police would leave no stone unturned in order to preserve a better, peaceful, and fear-free atmosphere in the state, therefore ushering in a new age of growth and prosperity.

During the meeting, the Dy. CM administered the Anti Narcotic Pledge to the officers attending the meeting. Administration of the Anti Narcotic Pledge was simultaneously done in all the different units of the Department in their respective locations.