Improving police service delivery: human resource interventions

Abstract

Police are the most powerful, most visible, and most fearedagency of the government Police also have to act as an agent of socialchange in modern times. Police system that evolved during the latenineteenth century had the objective to serve the interests of thecolonial power rather than being responsive to the people. There hasbeen very little change in the mandate of police since then.The present study focuses on majority constituents of the civilpolice i.e., constables and head constables (HCs)- approximately 70 percent and 18 percent of the civil police respectively. The education qualification ismatriculate (class l(fh) for Constables and HCs who are referred asother rank (OR). Accordingly, statutory responsibilities and functionsof the lowest order are assigned to them.A survey was conducted covering police personnel posted atpolice stations employing specially designed questionnaire, in sixdistricts of Madhya Pradesh - Gwalior, Indore, Dewas, Jabalpur,Shivpuri, and Bhopal (N = 1091). Main variables investigated inpresent study include job satisfaction, job commitment, public servicefunctions, and demographic profiles such as age, length of service, andeducation. It was postulated that Higher education level would influence job satisfactionand job commitment. Job satisfaction would affect job commitment Job commitment and public service functions wouldinfluence each other.As constables and HCs are the majority constituents of police,therefore the interaction of the public mostly takes place only withthem. Mostly, this interaction is in non-criminal settings.In the light of the findings of the study, suggestions were madeto fine-tune the policies of police administration. The study suggestsorganization-wide change interventions focusing on nine-tenth of thecivil police strength. These policy level changes are expected tosignificantly improve the service delivery, which in turn will bring intransformation in the image of police personnel.