Vacancies being gradually filled, to improve police strength, Police Commissioner

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, May 02, 2016: Mangaluru city witnesses many crimes, drug peddling and communal clashes are frequent. A number of vacancies, making up nearly one-third of the sanctioned posts in the City Police Commissionerate, has diluted the functioning of the police net work.

The plans of the city police to increase the police strength by about 400 personnel, from 1,800, has been pending with the government for nearly a year. The Police Commissioner had, on August 18, 2015, written to the government seeking increase of police personnel in different police stations.

While police stations in Mysuru and Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissionerates have average sanctioned strength of 18 police head constables and 56 police constables, those in the Mangaluru Commisisonerate have an average of 12 head constables and 36 police constables. Moreover, the Commissionerate limit extends to the entire Mangaluru taluk, though it is called Mangaluru City Police, covering the towns of Mulki, Moodbidri and communally sensitive Ullala.

Many sanctioned posts of police inspectors, have remained vacant for long.   Of the 43 sanctioned posts of police sub-inspectors, 25 are vacant. On the other hand, 33 posts of head police constables out of the 263 are vacant and 444 posts of police constables out of the 883 sanctioned posts are vacant. Besides vacancies in the regular police force, 126 posts out of the 519 in the City Armed Reserve police too have remained vacant. The Special Branch, the Crime Branch and the Wireless Wing, which are the backbone of effective policing, too are facing severe shortage of manpower.

Being Considered :  Police Commissioner M. Chandra Sekhar stated that the proposal for increase of the sanctioned strength is under the active consideration of the government.The hike is justified given the nature and number of crimes in the region, the vast geographical limits of the Commissionerate and the population covered, he said.

Considering the sensitive nature of Ullal region and the geographical area, the city police have sought almost doubling the sanctioned strength of Ullal Police Station by 77 personnel, taking the total to 133.  This includes two sub-inspectors, four assistant sub-inspectors, 15 head constables and 50 police constables. The strength of the Mangaluru South Police Station that covers the central business district, is sought to be enhanced by 66 posts.

As far as the vacancies are concerned, PC  Chandra Sekhar said that about 140 constables who are undergoing training would soon join the force and a recruitment rally is set to be held in this week.