Delhi Police chief sets fresh target for the force

The commissioner also congratulated officers and staff for ensuring incident-free security arrangements on Independence Day

Delhi Police Commissioner SBK Singh on Friday set fresh targets for the Delhi Police in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Red Fort address on Independence Day.

Delhi Police commissioner SBK Singh. (ANI)

According to a Delhi Police spokesperson, the commissioner congratulated officers and staff for ensuring incident-free security arrangements on Independence Day and said, “Despite working so hard, even beyond working hours, we have not been able to win the trust of the public in the form that we should have done.”

Drawing from the Prime Minister’s speech, Singh outlined three areas of focus for the force — self-reliance, technology adoption and healthy competition — and gave timelines to come up with a proposal.

The commissioner asked units to submit proposals within 15 days on reducing dependence on other agencies for specialised resources such as commandos, bomb disposal squads and wireless systems. He also said that the force needs to “go further” in surveillance, cybercrime prevention, anti-drone defence and counter-terror operations. He directed technology units to form committees and submit recommendations within a month. Singh stressed on the need to cultivate healthy competition within the force while discarding jealousy, at both the individual and organisational levels.

Singh also congratulated 18 Delhi Police personnel who were conferred police medals for distinguished and meritorious service on Independence Day.

Meanwhile, eight Delhi Police personnel, including an inspector, were suspended on Saturday after a surprise inspection by Singh found that they were absent from duty outside an ISKCON temple in Shahbad Dairy. Officials said Singh was reviewing Janmashtami security arrangements across the city when he noticed that officers posted at Gate No. 2 of the temple were missing. A senior police officer confirmed the suspensions and said a departmental inquiry has been initiated to ascertain if more personnel were absent. The suspended staff range from constables to inspector-rank officers, the officer added, stressing that strict action has been ordered.