Punjab police to hire psychiatrists

IGP Dastagir says officers suffer from extreme mental stress and require counselling

RAWALPINDI: The Punjab police will hire as many as 30 psychiatrists to provide counselling to its personnel who are suffering from mental stress.

“Police officers performing operational duties work day and night and suffer severe mental stress,” said the new Punjab IG Police Shoaib Dastagir, adding, “The department will hire psychiatrists for screening and counselling of such personnel.”

Addressing a news conference at the Rawalpindi Police Lines on Tuesday, Punjab’s top cop said that the police force has to its credit one too many encounters in which innocent people have been killed after being mistaken as criminals.

Making his first visit to the garrison city after assuming charge as IGP, Dastagir called for a better partnership between police and the media and said that crime reporting should not always portray chaos and disorder. He urged the media personnel to sensitise the people about the stress experienced by the police in the line of duty. Regarding the performance of the police, he said institutions need some operational freedom to deliver. Assuring that transfers and postings will be done on merit only, the Punjab police chief said the department tolerates no pressure, political or otherwise.

Police, IGP Dastagir reminded, plays a vital role in ensuring good governance. “The writ of state prevails only when there is law and order,” he said.

The biggest hindrance police face in controlling crime was a lack of resources, he said, adding that the real task for the force was to work efficiently within the limited resources.

On public-friendly policing, he said the establishment of front desks in police stations has proved beneficial for thousands of complainants.

Declaring the establishment of a safe city project in Rawalpindi as vital, the IGP said that the structure of the building has been constructed and it will be completed once the necessary funds are available.

In October 2017, the City Police Office opposite the Deputy Commissioner House was demolished to build a new command and control office and CPO complex. It was also supposed to house the offices of the CPO, different SSPs, a complaint cell, special branch and other departments.  However, the construction of the complex has faced numerous delays.

Responding to complaints regarding delays in registering the first information reports (FIRs), he said that Rawalpindi police registered as many as 1,300 cases during the past month.

The IGP advised the provincial police to hear pleas of all complaints irrespective of the fact if they are true or not.

Answering a question, he said that it was yet to be determined how much more funds will they require for operational expenses. IGP Dastagir expressed that the police were getting complete support from other law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

Refuting claims of difficulties faced by the police in accessing mobile data of suspects, he said that the police face no such problems and it was being leveraged during the investigation.

“Opening of new forensic centres is the job of Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) not the police,” he said in response to another question, assuring that he will speak to the relevant officials in this regard.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2020.