While the Police force is respected in some countries nationally and feared in some others, one is not sure where the khaki-clad law-keepers stand in respect of their connect with the land’s people at large. But, for sure, the cops no longer enjoy the power of wielding their lathi as they did during the years of colonial rule. They must be feeling suffocated in the current dispensation, called democracy, taking orders from the elected people’s representatives holding high posts in the government, being armed with unbounded authority to call the shots as it were. The matter of virtually invisible connect between the cops and the netas, only heard about on the grapevines, is in a closed-circuit and, therefore, has to be kept outside the purview of this column. However, it is an open circuit that cops find themselves disconnected with those having claims of connect with one or the other neta.

The citizens may have to own the onus of creating the need for the Police force amidst them, thanks to their misdemeanour giving rise to myriad criminal acts in a long, growing list. Even as the tools and methods of nabbing the offending members of society are witnessing efficiency, they seem to be falling behind the flock of perpetrators of crime.

Published data and information relating to the cops-citizens relationship in different countries place India as a country much less policed than the countries of the West, judged by the number of Police personnel per 1,00,000 citizens. Both criminal acts and wings of the Police Department have witnessed expansion in keeping with their distinguishable diversity. More types of crime such as hacking websites of both governments and companies in the corporate sector, called cyber crime have made unlawful acts both alluring and rewarding.

The battle lines in the mutual engaging between cops and citizens disinclined to conform to the land’s laws are clearly drawn, revealing which party finds itself on the winning side. The gullible sections of society have to bear the brunt of two whammies of lawlessness namely, (a) Increasing outlay on Police Department and (b) Disruption of life at the hands of criminals.