Three months over, course yet to complete

FROM OUR STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, April 4: The strict scheduled and discipline of the Uniform men seems to have gone for a toss if the three months promotion training course of the state police at the Meghalaya Police 1st Battalion headquarter, Mawiong.

Nearly 100 odd constables who aspired to climb up to the post of Havildar (Head constable) joined the intensive course in January this year. Till date, not half of the requisite course is completed since most of them have been called for law and order duty. “We were deployed for law and order duties during the South Asian Games, deputed to Ri-Bhoi due to the toll gate fiasco and even for unwanted duties in Shillong today,” stated a group of Policemen on condition of anonymity. “No hassles in performing the duties but when will we complete our course for promotion is our concern,” stated one elderly constable who has been away from his family for the past three months. Another constable said, “I want to go up but not beyond the regimented prescribed rules under the official manual.”

When the views of the Police department was elicited, the Spokes person of the Meghalaya Police GHP Raju told The Sentinel, “We believe in the on the job training and this is part of the process to do away with the usual class room training for promotions.”

“Policing and firing twenty years ago is a different take altogether and our endeavor is to equip them with the needs of the present scerio,” stated Raju.

However, he was evasive on whether the constables with an eye for a higher rank will complete the training on time. He said, “The DGP will take a call on this,” even as aspirants sees September 2016 as the earliest date for the passing out.