Law enforcers become law breakers

When cops turn into killers. Suspended Inspector General of Police R.K. Sharma has earned the dubious distinction of becoming arguably the first IPS officer in India convicted of murder. He has been held guilty of hatching a conspiracy to murder Shivani, a newspaper correspondent, who had allegedly developed intimate relationship with him and was threatening to expose him.

How Georgia Tamed the Police
Mr Saakashvili's most eye-catching change has been to streamline the interior ministry. More than half the country's police officers have been fired and interior troops transferred to the defence ministry.

"Traffic police paid $2,000-$5,000 to get a job," says Irakli Okruashvili, the new interior minister. "Then they gave a percentage of the bribes they received to their bosses and used some to buy uniforms and cars. The system was self- financing. No one considered it corruption. It was a tradition."

The new anti-corruption measures aim to be self-financing, with the money saved from staff cuts used to increase salaries five-fold to $200 a month. Mr Okruashvili estimates this is more than the previous "take-home bribe" after "taxes" had been paid to superiors.

The new generation of traffic police is forbidden to carry more than $5 in cash. Plainclothes inspectors frisk them periodically to ensure they have not demanded money from innocent citizens. A dozen have been fired. Those left have received new uniforms and cars and now see the prospect of better career development. Public perception is changing, with a nightly television soap opera, called Patrol, launched to improve the image of the police.

It was one example of the corruption that permeated Georgia's police force and much of the rest of society, and that is being tackled by the youthful administration of President Mikheil Saakashvili, one year after the downfall of Eduard Shevardnadze, his predecessor. Within span of 3 years the level of corruption in Georgia has been reduced so much so it has a 10% GDP rate compared to almost nil five years back!

Pronounced Guilty, Tribune
Georgia Police Reforms

Comments: There is urgent need to overhaul the recruitment systems in the states. Bribes are paid for recruitment to Police which is supervised by IPS Officers. Corruption can be reduced if ESM (PBOR) are recruited who are already trained, physically more robust and disciplined. The Georgia Model is an eye opener. Maybe our GDP can grow at 20% if corruption is reduced/ controlled starting from the Police and moving upwards.