Attacks on cops batter morale

AT THE RECEIVING END
Attacks on cops batter morale
‘The Culprits Are Immediately Bailed Out With Help From Politicians’
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: After the Jaipur attacks, as the country prepares to fight terror, the Goa police is left fighting its own version of terror — increasing attack on men in khakhi by the general public.
This is a concern that has bothered the top police officials and has been discussed at length by the police during official meetings. “It batters the morale of the officers and we are really concerned,” said a top police official.
The attacks on the police have increased in the last few weeks. These include:
* May 4: After a fight broke out between two persons at the Church of Our Lady of the Poor, Tilamol, which was celebrating a feast, an agitated mob stoned a police van and injured many policemen, when they tried to intervene.
* May 16: Two traffic cops were assaulted as they issued chalans to two persons near Guirim. A similar incident had occured two weeks back.
* About a month back, the Bicholim DySP Sambha Sawant was ghearoed by people and even asked to apologize allegedly for trying to right an erring driver. “Whenever such cases are reported and the police try to take action or arrest the culprit, immediately they are bailed out with the help of politicians.
The police officers are also forced to bury the hatchet. This gives encouragement to the criminal elements,” said former Goa police SP Alex Rasquinha.
The Goa police also seems to have realised this. “We have now been asked to register cases against anyone who blocks the road or traffic.
Besides, we are also building a good reserve force consisting of the fresh batch that would be coming out of the Police Training school, Valpoi. They would be trained to handle anyone who breaks the law,” said a top official.
The official added, “This is the beginning and much more needs to be done.”
“There is tendency of people taking to the roads for petty reasons, rather than solving the issue by talking with the concerned authorties. This has led to frequent law and order situation,” South Goa Superintendent of Police Shekhar Prabhudessai said.
Social scientists opine that the recent trend of police getting beaten up is an indication of the society that we live in. “The general public perception of the police is that the police is politicised.
This has led to a feeling amongst people that the law enforcing authority is not neutral and therefore people react by attacking the police. But sometimes, people also react instinctively,” said political sceintist Dr Aureliano Fernandes.
However, the policemen believe that they are easily susceptible to public resentment or anger because they come in direct contact with the people on a daily basis.
“The police represents the establishment and people feel that the only way sometimes to express their resentment and frustration against the establishment is by attacking it.
With the police being the easily available face on the street, they are sometimes attacked,” said North Goa Superintendent of Police Bosco George.

2008 May 17 Times Of India Goa