Assam CM attends first-ever commandants' conference in Dergaon police academy

Dergaon (Assam) [India], May 22 : As a part of the sequel undertaken to bring about police modernization in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday attended the first-ever conference of the commandants at the Police Training Centre in Dergaon.
The conference has been organised to help the Assam Police Battalions transform them into vibrant bodies capable of meeting their mandate.
Delivering his introductory speech, Chief Minister Sarma said that considering the important role played by the commandants and the Assam Police Battalions, the commandants; the conference will be organised every six months.
"This will be done to bring about positive changes in the rank and file of the battalions and give a more result-oriented police force to the state," CMO said in a release.
The Chief Minister also said that since Assam Police Battalions are the backbones of the policing system, he would visit the battalions during his district tours.
Sarma also observed that training plays an important role and therefore in shaping the professionalism and readiness of the police personnel, retired army officers will be appointed in the rank of Additional Superintendent of Police to impart training.
The officer would be in charge of a rigorous training regimen to help the police personnel to meet the changing dynamics in crimes.
He also said that attention will be given to ensure that the personnel belonging to different battalions are not used for any purpose other than those exclusively connected to bonafide policing.
The Chief Minister said that steps will be taken to ensure that there is a positive change in the mindset of the forces of the battalions to make them feel that Commandants and forces belonging to different battalions are an integral part of the Police Forces in Assam.
"Adequate steps will be taken to empower the Assam Police Battalions so that they themselves are complete to deal with law and order in the state. They will also be reoriented to control the mob without using lethal weapons or using them to the minimum extent possible," CMO said.
With the continuous improvement of the law and order situation in the state, AFSPA will likely be lifted from the entire state by the end of this year. The Armed Forces Special Powers Act empowers security forces to arrest a person without a warrant and enter or search premises without a warrant.
In such a situation, Assam Police battalions would be empowered to replace Central Armed Police Forces other than the number of CAPFs whose presence is mandatory in the state as per law.