Inspector General of Police Udaipur Range, IPS Ajay Pal Lamba took charge of his office on 21 February 2023.  In his address to the media, he said that as the IG of Udaipur, he will try his best to address the issues of the common man, with special focus on the women, the poor and the weak of the society.

“My goal is to work for the betterment of society and people so as to set the right example in front of the people” - IPS Ajay Pal Lamba, Inspector General, Udaipur Range.

He also mentioned that he wants to improve the work ethics of the police force of Udaipur.

A survey was conducted by UdaipurTimes on policing in the Udaipur District to analyze the public perception on the functioning of Udaipur Police.

This Survey, which was conducted completely online through a Survey Questionnaire sent out to our readers, had questions which were spread across many aspects on the Police – Public ecosystem that included perceptions, behavioral aspects, interaction, inclusiveness, community participation, etc.

The survey was responded by 78% males and 22% females. Of the respondents, 60% were in the 20-40 age group and 26% in the 40-65 age group. These are the general population that gets to interact with the police usually. We present below the responses that have been clubbed according to the genesis of questions asked in the survey.

Perception of the Udaipur Police

• More respondents feel that communication with the police is difficult. Respondents feel that the Police does not communicate with the community. This could lead the residents to feel intimidated to approach police to address any problems they might have.
• 6% respondents found the behavior of Police Personnel to be normal. However, 41% of respondents felt that Police Officers /Constables in Udaipur Police are not respectful towards citizens; half of whom (22%) said that Police personnel were rude.

Communication with Public

• Of the total respondents, 50% said that they are not aware of the Udaipur Police Helpline for registering complaints. This means that the Police should take the help of media to ensure that their helpline is communicated across the geography.
• 67% (2/3rd) of the respondents said they feel the Udaipur Police does not communicate well with the community members (residents, social groups, organizations).

Crime Control

• 60% of people who participated in the survey feel the Traffic Police is not strict when it comes to monitoring roads and traffic discipline in Udaipur. People feel strict traffic monitoring happens only when there is a VIP visiting the city or if there is an event in the city; rest of the time the traffic police disappears leaving the traffic on its own.
• 40% of people said they have witnessed some or the other forms of crime happen in their locality.
• 55% of people said they do not feel safe when they are outside during the night hours in public places or on the roads.
• 60% of people said they do not feel their houses are safe when they are out for a late evening or during the day or while they are travelling, this clearly indicates peoples’ lack of faith in the policing.

Police and the Common Man

• 45% of respondents feel Udaipur Police is responsive to the concerns of the community members whereas 33% of people feel otherwise.
• In response to the question – “Was the Police helpful in listening to their problem, noting the complaint and taking honest action”, 45% people said the police was responsive and noted their complaint, but after that no action was taken. 32% people said police was not responsive at all and only 22% respondents said police were extremely helpful.
• 45% of respondents said they had to bribe the police in order to get their work done, while the remaining 55% said they did not have to bribe to get their work done.
• 90% of the respondents feel that Udaipur Police discriminates between Rich and Poor (Influential and non-influential), while 64% of people feel the police discriminate on the basis of caste, community or religion.
• Almost 100% of the people who participated in the survey unanimously felt that every police station in Udaipur district should essentially have at least one woman police officer or constable.

Suggestions from the Public

While responding to the questions posed by the survey, some interesting and noteworthy suggestions were also given, some of which we would like to mention here.

1. Working hours police personnel should be re-defined according to the other government departments so that fatigue doesn’t set in and there is more productivity.
2. They should be given a high risk allowance in addition to their pay and over time allowance. The shortage in the police force results in overburdening the personnel and affects their work and subsequently their image.
3. The police should hold area wise community meetings at least once a month / quarter.
4. Police personnel should be trained in behavioral aspects, so that their interaction with the public is mutually beneficial.
5. Remove bias based on influence and position. Honest approach to policing will help the public identify them as the true protectors of law and order.
6. Regular checks on sensitive areas, cafes, bars, hotels and mock drills.
7. Long term solution to traffic management, because Udaipur is a dense tourism zone. Live and continuous monitoring will ensure rules are observed.

Whilst in Police we trust and for all the good work they are doing, we expect that the results of this survey will give the Police an understanding of the perception of the people of Udaipur. The results of this exercise will also augment their understanding of the expectations of the public, who trust the Police to maintain law and order in society. The amendments made to the administration, training on behavioral aspects and addressing the gaps will ensure better Policing and Law & Order in Udaipur District.

UdaipurTimes thanks its readers for participating whole heartedly in the survey.

Caveat: The above documentation is based on a Survey conducted by UdaipurTimes amongst its readers. The Survey was open to participation. The information given above is purely based on the responses received and is not indicative of the views or perceptions of UdaipurTimes.