Guwahati: Emphasizing on the issue of police modernization in Assam, State chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma declared once AFSPA is lifted from the entire State by the end of 2023, Assam police battalions would be empowered to replace the central armed police forces (other than the number of CPAFs whose presence is mandatory in Assam as per law).
Attending the first ever conference of Assam police commandants at Dergaon police training centre on Monday, Sarma stated that the government is determined to bring about positive changes in the rank and file of the battalions and give the State a more result oriented police force. Considering the important role played by the commandants and the State police battalions, the specific conference will be organised every six months.
Sarma observed that training plays an important role and therefore in shaping the professionalism and readiness of the police personnel, retired army officers will be appointed in the rank of additional superintendent of police to impart training. He also added that attention will be given to ensure that the personnel belonging to different battalions are not used for any purpose other than those exclusively connected to bonafide policing.
Various steps will be taken to ensure that there is positive change in the mindset of armed forces to make feel that commandants and forces belonging to different battalions are integral part of the State police forces, stated Sarma adding that adequate steps will be followed to empower the police battalions so that they can deal with the law & order situation with modern approaches.
In presence of State police chief GP Singh, principal secretary to CM (Samir Kumar Sinha), principal secretary to home & political (Niraj Verma), special DGP Harmeet Singh with others, Sarma assured that every battalion will have a modern housing colony along with a good school in its premises. He also declared that the government will hold State police meet encompassing sports and cultural activities of police personnel in coming November.
