8,500 more cops needed to fill vacancies in Mumbai: Praja Foundation

Statistics provided by Praja Foundation revealed that the Mumbai Police was short of at least over 8,500 personnel till March last year, vis-a-vis the sanctioned police force of 50,465. According to data, in March last year, Mumbai Police had a sanctioned limit of 50,465 personnel, however, only 41,955 were working, a gap of 17 per cent, which has increased from the previous year when there was a shortage of 7 percent (March 2016).

"The post of assistant police sub-inspector shows a shortage of 49 per cent as compared to the sanctioned limit. According to the data, the gap still persists in the number of sanctioned and working Police Sub-Inspector (PSI), at six per cent, Assistant Police Inspector (API) at 5 per cent, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) at 33 per cent, Police Inspector at 29 per cent. In Mumbai, PSI and above ranks (PSI, API and PI) are involved in investigation of cases," said Nitai Mehta, Founder of Praja Foundation.

"This shortfall in the Police force will have severe impact on the efficiency of policing in Mumbai. We need a strong force to cater to the growing population of this city. Police presence is very important to maintain law and order in the city. It is time the government should ensure that all the required vacancies in the police department are filled," said another Praja official.

"It will be inappropriate for me to comment until I study the Praja report," Deputy Commissioner of Police and Mumbai Police spokesperson, Deepak Deoraj, told DNA.