IIM-Indore to research on improving beat policing – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Indore is going to carry out a study of beat policing in Indore to improve the current system. An escalation in the cases of beat police brutality and callousness towards civilians have been reported by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The six-month study, to understand and analyse existing practices and recommend a framework for the improvement of the system and suggestion for technology intervention for improvement in beat policing, would be led by Professor Himanshu Rai, director of the IIM.

The project is part of a larger memorandum of understanding signed between the IIM and Madhya Pradesh Police to “strengthen the professionalism of the parties and to contribute to the development of a better security environment and orderliness at public places through a mutual academic-practitioner collaboration system.”

According to the National Police Commission, 2020-2021, although a sound beat system is the primary building block for successful policing, in many States in India it exists only on paper. The emerging challenges the police face and the introduction of community policing programmes in several areas have led to a realisation among police forces of the need to have a proper beat system to strengthen both professional policing as well as community policing.

Officials of IIM-Indore and MP Police are going to finalise the details of the study on Thursday. As per the draft proposal, the study will involve fieldwork in various police stations to identify the issues on the ground. The team will also try to use the crime-related data for optimizing the processes related to beat policing.

“Our primary focus will be on the process and system-level study for improving the current situation of beat policing in Indore city. We will also investigate the different communication styles, behavioural patterns, interpersonal competencies and values required for an effective police-community partnership,” said Rai.

The study will focus on multiple issues, including allocation of resources, usefulness and impact of the beat system, operational issues and practical implications as well as analyse the existing organization structure, assignment of personnel to beats (territory and timings), understand how the beat personnel maintains records and patrolling/routing of beat personnel and coordination with the command centre, among others.

According to Agam Jain, SP, Police Training College, Indore, “The idea is to study the present beat policing system. Beat policing is the crux of policing. So the researchers from IIM-Indore will be looking at the system, the work of police and the gaps as well. The researchers would be provided with the logistics by us such as providing them with the basic data, facilitating their visit to crime scenes and crime data. On completion of the project in six-month time we are expecting some recommendations in the form of a framework for improving the beat policing system. Madhya Pradesh Police would then look at the suggestions.