NCJ Number
87375
Journal
Indian Journal of Criminology Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: (July 1982) Pages: 140-147
Date Published
1982
Length
8 pages
Annotation
The image of the police in India can be improved through action in the areas of government policy toward the police, police administration, public relations, media relations, and research bearing upon factors in police-community relations.
Abstract
The maintenance of a generally positive image with the public is crucial to effective policing, because the public must be supportive of and responsive to police efforts if public order is to be sustained. The way the police relate to the public depends a great deal upon officer job satisfaction. Toward this end, the government should provide officers with adequate salaries, good working conditions, and proper equipment and uniforms. Since enforcement of politically motivated laws mars the police image as an objective and fair agency, the government should not involve the police in obviously political power games. Police administrators should take note of and redress officer grievances against the department so as to enhance officers' relations with the department. Further, meetings and seminars should be held periodically to identify and address problems in police-community relations. Persons who encounter the police in times of crisis should be treated with special care and sensitivity so as not to give the impression that the police are indifferent toward what has happened to them. Media relations should be cultivated so that balanced reporting on police activities is achieved. Police should not only have initial basic training designed to make them proficient, fair, and sensitive in dealing with the public, but inservice training should update knowledge and behavioral requirements. Each State should have a research element whose responsibility it is to analyze problems and examine factors relating to police-community relations. Thirty-seven references are listed.