Conversation with Prakash Singh

Police should be people-friendly and it should inspire confidence among all sections of people as the protector of their lives, property and honour. Unfortunately, we continue to be saddled with a ‘politically useful’ police which was created by the British essentially to uphold their imperial interests.

The author, a senior police officer, took upon himself the task of reforming the police and, in 1996, filed a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court for the purpose. It took him 10 years to get a favourable judgment from the highest court of the land; surprisingly and disappointingly, it has already taken another 15 years to get the judicial directions implemented—and the end is not in sight!

This book documents the efforts made to bring about police reforms in the country. Giving a historical background to the origin of Indian Police, the book traces its evolution during British rule and subsequently since Independence. Capturing the struggles of diverse sections of people and groups, it focuses essentially on the author’s efforts to bring about transformational changes in the Indian police.

A manifesto of a lonely and tireless crusade, the book throws light on the constraints under which the Indian police functions, its shortcomings and its inability to satisfy the democratic aspirations of the people, and what all needs to be done to metamorphose the present ruler’s police into people’s police.