The newly-recruited special security staff at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has bagged the status of ‘special police officers’ having powers to arrest troublemakers without warrant.
In its efforts to ensure security in and around campus, SPPU, on April 1, appointed 60 ‘special police officers’ with additional powers.
Suresh Bhosale, security director, SPPU, said, “While the new team of special officers have assumed work from April 1, the existing security persons will continue to retain their duties on the campus. The additional rights given to the special police officers will certainly help our existing security persons as well.”
All the 60 officers will have special powers to arrest troublemakers without warrant, under the Maharashtra State Security Corporation Act 2010, Section 16, 17, 18 and 20. The state government has the authority to appoint special police forces at respective locations and give them additional powers. According to SPPU, the staff was recruited recently after being trained at the Range Police Training College (RPTC).
Abhijit Ghorpade, SPPU's official spokesperson, said, “The SPPU campus is very big and the security in and around campus is our primary concern. Keeping this in mind, the university has appointed 50 male and 10 female special security officers.”
Ghorpade said, “We had written to the Maharashtra government four months ago requesting them to deploy the special police forces. In the letter written to the state government, we had specifically cited security as one of the most important concerns for seeking the support.”
{{/usCountry}}Ghorpade said, “We had written to the Maharashtra government four months ago requesting them to deploy the special police forces. In the letter written to the state government, we had specifically cited security as one of the most important concerns for seeking the support.”
{{/usCountry}}We are happy that the state government considered our request and has deployed the force at the SPPU campus, added Ghorpade.
Special police forces which are appointed in places, like the universities, are persons trained in the Range Police Training College. However, when there is no vacancy in the police department, trained officers are deployed at various such places.
“Their level of expertise and the way of dealing and handling the situation will certainly benefit the SPPU. Also, because they have been appointed with special powers, it will have an impact and would lead to creating a sense of discipline on the campus,” said Ghorpade.
Rights to the special police officers (SPO)
SPO can arrest any individual without an arrest warrant if an individual is found violating the security guidelines.
The authorities of the SPO fall under the jurisdiction of the Public Servants Act.
While serving their duties, they have been given special protection.
SPO have all the rights falling under the 1922 Police Force (Self Protection) Act ,1966.