Improving Efficiency and Ensuring Impartiality of the Police Force

As the Indian Police force assumes an increasingly important role in the life of the nation, it conies under rigorous scrutiny and harsh criticism. What are its weaknesses and strengths? How can the weaknesses be remedied and strengths reinforced? In this article, G K Valecha and Subha Venkataraman, who have conducted a questionnaire‐survey of Inspector Generals and Deputy Inspector Generals, present the perceptions of these highranking police officers and some prescriptions. Discipline, job security, and esprit de corps are the three major strengths identified and corruption, political interference, and poor interaction within the force, the three weaknesses. Delinking police from politics, encouraging participation, recognizing merit in promotion, and improving motivation are suggested as measures to be adopted to improve efficiency and ensure impartiality of the police force.