City cops shed uniforms for business suits

The overworked and underpaid police force seems to be slowly succumbing to the lure of the corporate world.

The overworked and underpaid police force seems to be slowly succumbing to the lure of the corporate world. In an emerging trend, not just IPS officers, even those of the rank of sub-inspectors, inspectors and assistant commissioners [all state-level service ranks], tempted by hefty pay packets, are quitting to join corporate jobs.

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What’s more, it’s not just those with 20 years or more on the job who are succumbing, officers with just four or five years of work experience are quitting as well.

The choice of job varies from internal investigation, probing financial fraud, monitoring cyber space, consultancy and vigilance. In the last two years, middle level officers who have worked with the crime branch and ATS are in great demand with corporates.

An ex-crime branch officer, who is now with a top multinational company, said most joined the force because they loved the uniform, but realised the pressures were too many. “Appreciation is low, and verbal abuse by seniors is high. Salaries, too, are not great,” he said.

An inspector earns around Rs 50,000 a month while the corporate sector offers them between Rs 1 lakh to Rs 3 lakh a month. “The police can multi-task owing to their training. That is why they are being snapped up by the corporate world,” said another officer.

Joint commissioner of police (administration) SP Yadav said, “Officers say they are quitting for domestic reasons but end up in the corporate sector.”