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Police HQ bursting at seams
KATHMANDU, APR 23 -
Nepal Police Headquarters, which often cites “understaffing” as the main reason for its “unsatisfactory performance” in controlling crime, is overstaffed by 50 percent, an internal study report has revealed.
There are 3,381 personnel at the HQs five departments — Human Resource Development, Administration, Crime Investigation, Operations, IG secretariat and two battalions. The number is more than double the needed.
“Half of the staffers do no work. They pulled strings to get posted here because they wanted to stay at ease in the capital,” said a senior police officer involved in preparing the report, on condition of anonymity. These staffers, in principle, should look after administrative work, supervision and facilitation when it comes to managing resources for police stations across the country. “They stay idle in the headquarters,” added the police officer. “Overstaffing is the main reason for evident laziness in the police personnel.” Police spokesperson Bigyan Raj Sharma admitted that the secretariat of Inspector General of Police is trying to ascertain the number of unnecessary manpower and shoo them out of the headquarters. “Every department has been asked to furnish all details about manpower and send all unnecessary manpower out in the field,” Sharma said.
Said a Deputy Inspector General requesting anonymity, “Due to overstaffing, the parking lots have become so congested that there is no space for vehicles of police officers.”
Some officers complained that the headquarters is losing its working environment because of overstaffing, a result of increasing political influence. “The headquarters cannot accommodate so many police personnel. It is a sheer waste of resources,” said one.
Earlier this month, the Crime Investigation Department submitted a report to the Inspector General of Nepal Police, asking headquarters to address the problem. IG Ramesh Chand Thakuri subsequently directed all heads of the departments to do so with immediate effect. However, as usual red tape has carried the day. A snail could be said to be moving at supersonic speed compared to the pace of work on this front.
Posted on: 2010-04-24 08:02
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