Abstract

POLICE IN DEMOCRACY: COMMUNITY POLICING AS A POLICY FOR GOOD GOVERNANCE IN INDIA

ROHIT RAJ

Volume: 7 Issue: 2 2017

Abstract:

It is a paradox that a democratic society requires protection both by and from the police. Democracy is a process or an end condition manifested by values involving participation and fairness. Several institutions apart, the working of police puts some limiting factors that the citizens are likely to have contact with. Police as an agency of the government, is entrusted with the task of crime control and contribute to public order. The organizational conditions in which they perform in their means to realize the ends vary greatly between democratic societies. Some of the general characteristics remain universal. These are their subjection to rule of law and the values of human dignity rather than a powerful leader or party, limited intervention in the life of a citizen under a controlled circumstance and public accountability. It is often a myth that that the police stands between the chaos and the social order. The various nuances of social order are of varied nature and impact especially considering the heterogeneity and more recently the apparent globalization. As a formal instrument of the state, its role in preserving the social order is quite significant. Police as an institution operates in an environment of constant change. The organizational and functional dynamics of police gets affected by the political, economic and social conditions in which it operates. In 21st Century, the police is expected to perform the traditional task of law and order maintenance, enforcement and other roles related as community organizers, terrorism prevention and problem solvers. The discretionary exercise which they perform is expected to be within the ethical framework. This has two fold connotations. Firstly, their role in maintenance of social order and second, their non interference in routine private life of an individual. Their only interference should be in time, when the individuals need them. Over the period of time, the confrontation of civilian police and the civilians have become a subject of detailed scrutiny, which emanates either from the changing dynamics of interaction and sometimes misleading judgment of values. The mutual interdependencies between the police and the community comprising of individuals gives rise to a lot of issues in a given social setting. Ideally, an effective and efficient policing involves a meaningful and concrete partnership between police and the citizens. This partnership should be based upon a two way communication between the police and the citizen in a joint venture for law and order maintenance and enforcement.

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