DGPs/IGPs CONFERENCE
CONCLUDES
THE
THREE DAY MEET RECOMMENDS QUICK IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROVISION
FOR A LEAD INTELLIGENCE AGENCY FOR BORDER MANAGEMENT
Heads of State and
Central Police Organizations met for three days from September
29 to October 1, 2002 in Delhi to forge strategies and responses
with respect to challenges posed by the changing dimensions of
terrorism, extremism, border management and coastal security.
The Conference, which was presided over by the Director, Intelligence
Bureau, also conducted a frank appraisal of the performance evaluation
mechanisms within the police and the impact of lacunae in criminal
investigation upon the functioning of the criminal justice system.
A significant feature of the Conference was the strong consensus,
among police Chiefs, to achieve swift and seamless coordination
among the State and Central police organizations, for tackling
terrorism.
The tone of the Conference
was set by the Director, Intelligence Bureau who in his capacity
as Chairman, mentioned two landmark events that formed the backdrop
to this meeting. The first was the September 11 attack on the
World Trade Centre in New York and the second was the December
13 attack on the Indian Parliament. Delegates to the Conference
discussed how high technology was being quickly adopted to terrorist
uses and considered optimal utilization of the structured mechanism
for information exchange developed by the Intelligence Bureau,
the designated nodal agency for countering terrorism. For the
first time, police Chiefs also pondered over a uniform strategy
to fight cyber crime and cyber terrorism, spelling out the need
for a National Information Protection Centre and a Computer Emergency
Response Team. Realizing the magnitude of the problem, senior
scientists from the DRDO and the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore
as well as a cyber law expert joined the Police Chiefs to discuss
the employment of computer forensics as a tool for the enforcement
of cyber laws.
The Conference acknowledged
the gravity of Left Wing Extremism in that the homespun variety
had now joined hands with equally violent, like-minded left Extremists
in Nepal. This issue was seen in conjunction with the requirements
of border management. The Conference recommended the quick implementation
of the provision for a Lead Intelligence Agency (LIA) for each
border. The LIA for a border would be the principal guarding force
for that border be it the BSF, ITBP or any other paramilitary
force. The LIA would ensure perfect coordination among the diverse
agencies so as to ensure swift and effective responses to developing
situations. Coastal security featured prominently in the Conference
with vital Installations, strategic industries and other engines
of the economy located in the coastal States. The idea of a ‘Maritime
police’ was mooted for coastal patrols within the territorial
waters. While the exclusive economic zone could remain the charge
of the Coast Guard and the Navy. Additional responsibilities were
contemplated for the maritime police in terms of life saving and
sea rescue functions.
The Chiefs of Police
took a close look at the investigation of criminal cases and decided
to improve the quality of investigation through training and closer
supervision by senior officers. Delegates also suggested the legislation
of a new Police Act to replace the current archaic statute unsuited
to modern policing. In a major exercise of introspection, the
heads of State and Central police forces reviewed the prevailing
performance evaluation systems for police officers and agreed
that these had not kept pace with changing professional requirements.
The Conference considered evaluation norms tailored to specific
professional responsibilities discharged by police officers like
law & order, traffic management, community policing and crime
management.
The Conference was
inaugurated by the Deputy Prime Minister, Shri L.K. Advani and
addressed by the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
