The police department, like the local government system, has been going through massive ups and downs. Since switching from the Police Order of 2002 to the Police Act of 1861 in 2011, they have not been able to set a straight line of order.
In order to reduce the workload for the SSPs and SPs, they introduced the Range Crime wing in October 2011, which ended up dealing with special and high-profile cases. However, it did not have the intended effect as the SSPs were still overworked, dealing with the worsening law and order situation - so the police decided to do away with it.
However, ever since he was appointed IG, Fayyaz Legahri took matters into his own hands and decided that the police department would be restructured. On Saturday, a notification stating that the city would be split into 20 divisions was issued on the same day. This means that the police operations and investigation wings will be running separately.
The IG’s solution was pretty simple. Instead of using one of the two police acts, he plans to merge them.
“This is a very big step for us. However, in the long run it will be beneficial for us as it will cut down on corruption and we’ll have a better budget,” said DIG Finance Dost Ali Baloch, who is generally respected for his performance. “It will help create a better and safer environment. We are trying to implement a system similar to what they have in the US and Europe. Ideally, from 104 police stations, the city will have 20 which will be run by SPs who will look after their divisions.” He added that after this was done, all police stations in the city would be finished and instead, they would set up a Police Services Building for the SPs. The investigation officers, the bomb disposal experts, intelligence officials, forensics experts and legal advisors will all be under one roof and answerable to the divisional SP.
While talking to The Express Tribune on how this will help fight crime, the DIG explained that by merging the investigation and operations, a case becomes the sole responsibility of one man - the divisional SP. “Too many cooks spoil the broth and it is the same with crime,” he said. “This way, the SP can deal with the case whatever way he wants and is answerable in the end.” Under the Police Act of 1861, the investigation and operation wings were abolished and the SHOs were given the additional responsibility of investigating cases. Junior officers such as inspectors were left to deal with high- profile cases and were appearing at court hearings.
As per the notification - instead of three DIGs for the five districts, there will be a DIG for each district, including Central and Malir, which were earlier a part of districts west and east. Grade-19 officers, who will be known as Divisional Police Officers or DPOs, will be posted in Gulshan, Orangi, Gulberg, Clifton and City due to the increasing population and rate of criminal activity.
There are eight divisions which come under District East, these include Gulshan, Shah Faisal, Jamshed, Landhi, Malir, Bin Qasim, Gadap and Korangi. In District West there are eight divisions, including Liaquatabad, Gulberg, North Karachi, New Karachi and Orangi. District South has four divisions which include Saddar, City, Lyari and Clifton.
Officers with a grade-18 ranking will be deputed to the remaining 15 divisions. The post of the additional IG will be replaced by the Capital City Police Officer.
The SPs working for Ranger Crime were incorporated into the system as SP investigations.
“We have felt that it would be better to do something like this. It will help increase the police morale,” said District West DIG Akram Naeem Bharoka, who has played a major role in this development. “There will not be a DIG investigations anymore, otherwise it is pretty much the same structure were had in 2002. A police station will have a Station Investigation Officer (SIO) and each district DIG will have a SP Investigations working with him. We have not restored the old order, but have tried to incorporate its good points in the Police Act of 1861.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 30th, 2012.
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