In order to bring better results and ensuring public service delivery, the Punjab police have formed internal accountability teams which will evaluate performance of station house officers (SHOs) and other junior cops by paying surprise visits to police stations across the province.

"Internal accountability teams should pay visit to police stations of all districts in order to bring better results and reports of those officers and officials who are found guilty of abuse of powers, gross negligence, corrupt practices should be sent to the Central Police Office (CPO) so that process of accountability should be sped up against such officials who go against the devised SOPs," said the IGP while presiding over a meeting at the CPO on Tuesday.

He said there should be no delay in taking legal and departmental actions upon these reports because due to such black sheep, the entire department has to face the music. He directed that the cases of sexual abuse and torture of children and women should be assigned to experts, experienced and well-reputed police officers and all DPOs should send weekly progress reports regarding actions taken by the police stations against the sexual abuse cases.

According to the IG, the use of forensic science, geo-fencing and modern investigation modules should be benefited in the sexual abuse cases. He said the Punjab police are disciplined force and it has no place for the irresponsible and inefficient officers. Therefore, he added, the internal accountability teams should pay surprise visits in all districts to deeply examine the performance of operation and investigation wings so that a timely action against negligent officials could be taken by keeping in view the discipline matrix. The IG stressed that the senior officers should strictly adopt a zero-tolerance policy against those officials who found misbehaving with citizens.

While reviewing the welfare matter of the force, he said that promotion board meetings should be held regularly so that deserving officers could be promoted on merit and seniority basis. The senior officers should also complete ACRs of their subordinate without any delay and the officers who failed to write the ACRs of his subordinates will have no concession in this regard, he clarified.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019