There are as many as 4,000 unfilled posts in the police service, from the level of Superintendent of Police down to those personnel manning police outposts in far-flung parts of the state.
The Meghalaya government, however, is hoping to fill the gaps by the end of this year and increase the strength of the force beyond its sanctioned 16,000 personnel.
The health of the police service was the subject of a review meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who also holds the Home portfolio, here today.
Tynsong said that the most important challenge the department is faced with is the huge shortage of manpower.
Currently there is a recruitment drive going on to fill more than 1,000 vacancies. Once the process is complete – in two to three weeks – the second phase of recruitment will “immediately” take place, he added.
One of the issues that has affected all government departments was the wholesale freeze (now lifted) on appointments that was ordered by the Meghalaya High Court until a roster system to administer the government’s job reservation policy was put in place.
It is also important for the government to increase the number of officers in uniform as it has argued that the state’s own police are sufficient to combat illegal coal mining and trafficking; the High Court has ordered for the deployment of central paramilitary forces to tackle the menace.
Compared to other states of a similar size, Meghalaya’s police force is small.
Although it is the largest department in terms of personnel in the state, its sanctioned strength of 16,000 is a far cry from Manipur’s 26,000 and the Meghalaya government will look at ways of expanding the police force.
Talking about the newly-created police outposts in a few places along the interstate boundary with Assam, Tynsong said that barracks will be set up and manpower increased.
Other matters that were discussed in the review meeting phasing out the use of rented property in favour of land owned outright by the police department, strengthening the cyber cell and the need for more staff and new instruments for the forensic laboratory. Tynsong said that, for example, better facilities for DNA testing will improve the state’s conviction rate.
“We have discussed this and I have requested the DGP (Director General of Police) to again bring all the details to the department and we will positively respond to it,” Tynsong added.
