Lending inspectors to cover shortage of manpower

Keeping in mind the busy festival season ahead, the South District police have introduced the provision of inspectors from other units to go and do patrolling duties in police stations where there is a shortage of officers at that level.

As per rules it is mandatory for at least one inspector rank officer to be present during the patrolling while the common practice is for all three to move around the area together.

To overcome the problem, the district has now taken an initiative where those serving in District Investigation Unit (DIU) would be assigned patrolling duties in areas where the concerned police station may require additional help.

Inspectors in any district are assigned to the police stations as well as other units such as Anti Human Trafficking Unit to police lines and Special Staff.

DIU, however, has a provision for three inspectors.

Many police stations in the Capital do not have the sanctioned strength of three inspectors – a station head officer (SHO), an Inspector (investigation) and an Inspector (Anti Terror Operations), the ones in South being no exception. Six of the 16 police stations in South Delhi are those where either there is no officer assigned as Inspector (ATO) or the same person held dual responsibilities i.e. Inspector (ATO) and Inspector (Investigation).

However, there are situations where either one or both the officers have to camp at a certain spot to oversee law and order arrangement and that is where the need of replacement is felt, said a station head officer.

He added that there are exceptional situations where one of the two officers has to avail a leave owing to an emergency. Flexibility of duties, given that there are three inspectors in DIU, would come in handy in such cases.

“Then there are additional duties to be performed during the evenings when meetings are held with those seeking grievances and those visitors have to be attended by an inspector, usually the station head.

There is a pile of papers to be signed meant to be sent to courts for proceedings in connection with the ongoing cases tying us down further. It is indeed a welcome step,” said the officer.

Many police stations in the Capital do not have the sanctioned strength of three inspectors – a station head officer (SHO), an Inspector (investigation) and an Inspector (Anti Terror Operations)