HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, May 22: As a part of the sequel undertaken to bring about police modernization in Assam, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today attended the first ever conference of the commandants at the Police Training Centre in Dergaon.
The conference has been organised to help the Assam Police Battalions transform into vibrant bodies capable of meeting the mandate they are raised with.
Delivering his introductory speech, Sarma said that considering the important role played by the commandants and the Assam Police Battalions, the Commandants’ Conference will be organised every six months. “This will be done to bring about positive changes in the rank and file of the battalions and give a more result-oriented police force to the state,” he said.
The chief minister also said that since Assam Police Battalions are the backbone of the policing system, he would visit the battalions during his district tours. Sarma also observed that training plays an important role, and therefore, in shaping the professionalism and readiness of the police personnel, retired army officers will be appointed in the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police to impart training.
The chief minister said that steps would be taken to ensure that there is a positive change in the mindset of the forces of the battalions to make them feel that commandants and forces belonging to different battalions are integral parts of the police forces in Assam.
Adequate steps will be taken to empower the Assam Police Battalions so that they themselves are fully equipped to deal with law and order in the state, he said.
With the continuous improvement of the situation in the state, AFSPA will likely be lifted from the entire state by the end of this year, he said adding that in such a situation, Assam Police Battalions would be empowered to replace Central Armed Police Forces other than the number of CPAFs whose presence is mandatory in the state as per law.
Sarma said the government will take steps to ensure that every battalion has a good school on its premises where, other than the services of the appointed teachers, the good and talented police personnel posted in the battalions will be used. All the battalions should have a good housing colony to give housing satisfaction to the police personnel.
The government will also hold an Assam Police Meet encompassing sports and cultural activities of the police personnel in the month of November this year in Dergaon.
Earlier, chief minister Sarma, upon arrival at PTC Dergaon, received the guard of honour and inspected the ceremonial parade at Lachit Barphukan Police Training Academy.
He also presented the union home minister’s Service Medal to five Assam police personnel for exemplary commitment during training in 2020–21.
DGP Assam Police GP Singh, principal secretary to the chief minister Samir Kumar Sinha, principal secretary to home and politics Niraj Verma, Special DGP Harmeet Singh, and other senior police officers were present on both occasions.
