Context: The Covid-19  lockdown was tough on the community.The police were the authority entrusted with preventing panic and maintaining normalcy in such circumstances.
Background
The nature of policing changed during the lockdown, revealed data from the recently released Lokniti-CSDS and Common Cause report. 

• Nearly 9 out of 10 police personnel (88%) felt that the nature of policing was different compared to normal times. 

Enforcing a lockdown was a whole new ball game, for which India’s police forces were neither well equipped nor trained.

• The ‘Policing in the Covid-19 Pandemic’ study was conducted among 2,409 civilians and 1,198 police personnel in 19 cities spread across 10 of the worst affected states after the first wave of Covid-19.

The use of force by police in some cases resulted in fear of arbitrary state violence. Data reveal that the fear of police (‘a lot’ and ‘somewhat’ combined) was high among people. Among the biggest of fears and anxieties were those of fines (57%), followed by that of police beatings (55% ). 

• An overwhelming proportion of police personnel (79%) reported a drop in the overall crime rate. While police personnel reported that general crimes such as theft, robbery, kidnapping, and murder seemed to have reduced significantly during the lockdown, offences committed in the private space such as cases of domestic violence against women and incidents related to cybercrime saw an upward trend. 

Need for Police Reforms 

• The basic framework of the Indian police system was made in 1861 in the form of the Police Act, 1861, in the aftermath of the 1857 revolt. 
• However, society has made tremendous strides, especially in the years after independence, and the public’s expectations from the police forces have changed dramatically.
• Also, the nature of the crimes committed has undergone a sea change with factors like technology influencing both crime and investigation. 
• There is a pressing need to modify a system with roots in the 19th century and set up by a colonial government.
• There is a need to update and upgrade the police system in the country and make it relevant to the current times and situations.

Problems with the Police System

• The problems associated with the system and functioning of the police in India are manifold. Some of the important ones are discussed below.
• Politician – Police – Criminal Nexus
• Under the current system, the police forces come under the executive’s control. 
• The state police forces come under the state government while the central police forces (CRPF, ITBP, SSB, BSF, Assam Rifles, CISF and NSG) come under the Union Home Ministry. 
• Over the years, the executive has been able to abuse the power it has and used the police forces for personal or political interests.
• This results in a biased performance of duties by the police personnel.
• This was noted in the Second ARC Report.
• Another related phenomenon has been the criminalisation of politics.

Overburdened Police Force

• Police forces in India (both central and state) are short-staffed. 
• As of January 2016, the state forces had 24% vacancies (5.5 lakh) and the central forces had 7% vacancies.
• India has 137 police personnel per lakh of the population while the sanctioned strength is 181. And, this is woefully inadequate when compared to the United Nations recommended standard of 222 personnel per lakh people.
• This results in unsatisfactory working conditions for the personnel with long working hours and an enormous workload.
• Also, there is a lack of adequate representation of women in the police force. They form under 7% of the force which is way short when the number of women-related crimes is concerned.
• All this adversely affects the efficiency and effectiveness of the force.

Police Accountability

• There are many grievances against the police such as unlawful arrests, unlawful searches, torture while in custody and even custodial rapes and deaths.
• Recently, cases of custodial torture and deaths (like the case of a father-son duo in Thoothukudi) and ‘encounter’ killings had led to serious question marks on the integrity of the police force.
• The police are accused of abusing their power and suppressing the very people they are supposed to protect.
• There are also allegations of corruption against the police personnel.
• There is a need to fix police accountability internally and also through an external independent oversight system.

Inadequate Resources

• The police forces face a severe lack of resources when seen in the light of the enormous and varied responsibilities they undertake.
• CAG audits have reported a shortage of weapons with several state police forces.
• Police vehicles are also in short supply.
• The infrastructure has also to be modernised to help the police personnel solve crimes faster, among other things.

2006 Supreme Court Directives on Police Reforms

• In 1996, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by two former director generals of police, Prakash Singh and NK Singh requested the Supreme Court to give directions to the government to implement the police commission recommendations. In 2006, the SC gave seven directives regarding the same.

The 2006 SC directives are

• Constitute a state security commission to make sure that the state does not exercise undue influence on the police.
• The DGP should be appointed through a transparent and merit-based process and have a minimum tenure of two years.
• Other police officers on operational duties should also be given a minimum two-year tenure.
• The ‘law and order’ and ‘investigation’ functions of the police should be separated.
• A Police Establishment Board should be set up to decide transfers, promotions, postings and other service-related matters of the police.
• Set up police complaints authorities at the state and district levels to enquire into complaints of the public against police officers of and above the DSP rank for serious misconduct including custodial rape and death.
• Establish a National Security Commission at the central level for preparing a panel for the selection and placement of Chiefs of the Central Police Organisations with a minimum tenure of 2 years.

Road Ahead

• The ‘stay at home’ restrictions brought to light the dynamics of interaction between citizens and police. Although the majority of people rated the behaviour of the police as good, there were many instances of confrontations and altercations as well. The lockdown not only led to a sudden change in the pattern of daily life, but also triggered a shift in crime dynamics and policing duties.