Assam Police on Friday received a much-needed boost with the Indian Police Foundation putting it in the third spot in its IPF Smart Policing Index 2021 among 29 state police forces. Assam in fact came narrowly third after Andhra Pradesh Police and Telangana Police, with police forces of Kerala, Sikkim, Mizoram and Gujarat occupying the positions below Assam. It is important to take a look at the various parameters that the Indian Police Foundation had kept in mind while conducting a countrywide survey and awarding the rankings of the various police forces of the country. These included Police Sensitivity, Strictness & Good Behaviour, Accessibility, Responsiveness, Helpful & Friendly Policing, Fair, Unbiased & Lawful Policing, and Police Accountability. It must, however, be kept in mind that the Assam Police has to function within several serious constraints, the most important being a shortage of manpower. That facilities like proper accommodation, housing, healthcare and facilities for police families are very poor must also be kept in mind. Moreover, Assam Police has made a huge turnaround from the worst it had faced during the heydays of the ULFA and other armed militant groups and gangs. Several hundred police personnel, right from IPS officers to the Home Guards personnel have also made the supreme sacrifice while fighting militancy in the interest of protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the country. One must acknowledge the fact that Assam Police is one force in the entire country which had pioneered in training and orientation of all ranks of its officers in community-friendly and women-friendly policing, apart from imparting lessons on child rights and human rights about two decades ago. That Assam Police has been able to bag the third spot also despite the presence of several black sheep in its flock, several of whom are currently in jail, is yet another aspect to be appreciated. The most important aspect about Assam Police, however, is that the political masters have never ever tried to use the men in khaki for fulfilling political motives and objectives.