Transferred cops must join in 15 days

Deciding to crack the whip for major reforms in the home department, the state government will make it mandatory for police officers to resume their duties within 15 days after getting transfer orders. Home minister Jayant Patil said, “The police officers who don’t report to work to express their protest over the transfer will be dealt with firmly. I have held talks with the core group and taken a decision to make it compulsory for officers to join duty within a fortnight. Action will be taken against those disobeying the rules.”

Patil has taken an initiative to install an independent hi-tech portal to put an end to the ad hoc transfers within the police force often governed by the pulls and pressures of politicians.“It is irritating to see anybody and everybody across the police force seeking transfer. I want to streamline the system to bring accountability and ensure that the capable officer gets the right posting as per his/her credentials and merit.”

To expose the police to the outer world, the home ministry has decided to send a four-member team to Israel, Chicago, Shanghai, Beijing and England to study the city policing system. “The objective is to expose them to the outer world, and bring reforms wherever possible,” said Patil.

To ensure that the police reaches the venue of an incident within 1.5 to 2.5 minutes instead of 8 at present, the police constables would be armed with designer motorbikes equipped with arms and protection gear.