With the clearance from the state Cabinet for the first-ever recruitment of civilian experts in the Punjab Police, the department has embarked on a challenging journey of modernising the investigation process.
The process was started some four years ago when the Bureau of Investigation (BoI) was formed as a separate unit. Now, nearly 800 experts from the fields of information technology, forensic science, law and intelligence would be recruited in the civilian domain structure of the BoI.
This cadre would comprise non-uniformed officials, while another about 3,450 uniformed personnel in different ranks would also be recruited in due course of time.
Though the move is being hailed by police officials and academicians across the country, questions remain on whether the government would be able to make merit-based recruitment since a similar experiment to hire civilian intelligence officers in 2016-17 had failed.
In the first batch of 25 such officers, 21 were from Jalalabad, the home constituency of the then Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal. The recruitments, done before the 2017 Assembly elections, were scrapped by the Congress after coming to power.
DGP Dinkar Gupta said: “The department has undertaken recruitments for other ranks for quite some time now. We are in the process of establishing a board of experts and experienced police officers known for their integrity to supervise the recruitment in civilian domain on the basis of merit.”
Having pushed the proposal ever since he took over in February 2019, Gupta said measures to check back-door entry would be taken by conducting a written examination, followed by an interview and physical fitness test. For this, the selection of the vendor would be through open bids.
The online entrance test would be in the form multiple set of computer-based question papers where the secure delivery of question papers in encrypted mode at each test centre would be ensured.
Biometric webcam registration of candidates at the venue of computer-based examination, besides CCTV surveillance and other measures would be taken. The eligibility would be graduation at the entry level in the field of expertise. “In-house experts can also apply,” said Gupta.
On the need for civilian experts, the DGP said: “At present, police personnel look into every aspect of the crime, right from the crime spot to the court, while doing other duties. The BoI will take up serious crimes such as murders, rapes and other offences as is done in the Western countries such as the US and Canada, where detectives and prosecutors in civilian dress along with forensic experts help and guide the investigation on a daily basis.”
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A similar experiment to hire civilian intelligence officers in 2016-17 had failed. The recruitments, done before the 2017 Assembly polls, were scrapped by the Congress
