Frequent Transfers Of Mumbai Police Commissioners Harm System, Says Former Commissioner M.N. Singh

Mumbai: Frequent transfers of Mumbai Police Commissioners adversely affect the policing system and prevent officers from implementing long-term measures, former Mumbai Police Commissioner M.N. Singh said.

Singh was speaking at the launch of senior journalist Prabhakar Pawar’s book, History of Mumbai Police Commissioners. The event was attended by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut, Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti and former commissioner M.N. Singh.

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While praising Pawar’s decades-long reporting on crime and policing in Mumbai, Singh said Pawar’s books continue to be read by Mumbai Police officers and personnel as reference material. His writings have documented the sequence of major crimes in Mumbai, the investigations that followed and the working methods of the police.

Need for stability in police leadership

Singh said the practice of frequently transferring Mumbai Police Commissioners was not appropriate. “If a commissioner is not given sufficient time to work, it has an adverse impact on policing in a sensitive city like Mumbai,” he said, adding that political leaders also need to seriously consider the issues.

Reviewing the history of Mumbai Police Commissioners, Singh said the Mumbai Police Commissionerate was established in 1864 during the British era. Between 1864 and 1947, around 25 to 31 commissioners served the city, with their average tenures being relatively long.

However, the situation changed significantly after Independence. Singh said that since 1947, around 15 commissioners have served for less than a year, while five of them had tenures of less than six months. Some officers remained in the post for only a few months.

According to Singh, such short tenures do not give commissioners enough time to implement long-term strategies to combat crime, bring reforms within the police force or introduce sustainable policing measures.

“The post of Mumbai Police Commissioner is extremely important and carries enormous responsibility. Bringing in a new officer every day is not appropriate. There should not be a situation of ‘musical chairs’ in the Mumbai Police Commissioner’s post,” Singh said, stressing the need for stability in the position.

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Mumbai Police Commissioner should be DGP rank

Recalling his own career, Singh said that before becoming Mumbai Police Commissioner, he had served as an officer of Director General of Police (DGP) rank and had also headed the Anti-Corruption Bureau as its Director General.

He said there was earlier a tradition of appointing senior-ranking officers to the post of Mumbai Police Commissioner. However, over the years, officers of DGP, Additional DGP and IG ranks have been appointed.

Singh said he believed that an officer of at least DGP rank should be appointed as Mumbai Police Commissioner.

Duty and responsibility

Sharing a personal experience from the period around his retirement, Singh also spoke about the importance of dedication to duty.

He said his father was critically ill and admitted to an intensive care unit when his own retirement was approaching. Despite going through severe emotional stress, he continued to report to office every day and listen to citizens’ grievances.

He said the police commissioner meets citizens at designated hours every day, while one day a week was kept for police officers and personnel to meet him without an appointment.

“Duty is duty. Even when there are personal difficulties, one must continue to perform one’s responsibilities,” Singh said.

Telgi case and terror investigations

Singh also recalled incidents that occurred towards the end of his tenure, including the Abdul Karim Telgi stamp paper scam. He said questions were raised about the police machinery in connection with the scam, and discussions surrounding the case intensified a few days after his retirement.

Referring to terror attacks in Mumbai, Singh said the situation was extremely challenging towards the end of his tenure. Bringing suspects who were abroad back to India and taking action against them was a major challenge for the police.

Police continued to monitor the suspects based on intelligence inputs, and action was eventually taken after some of them returned to Mumbai, he said.

Singh stressed that policing in a metropolitan city like Mumbai is a continuous process. The Commissioner’s post therefore needs stability and freedom from political interference, while the officer must be given adequate time to work. Frequent transfers, he warned, can directly affect law and order and the fight against crime in Mumbai.

Mumbai Police’s achievements are not the result of the efforts of any single police commissioner or senior officer but of the collective efforts of the entire force. Policing is teamwork, and officers and personnel working on the ground must receive due credit and recognition, Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti said. Bharti was also speaking at the launch of Prabhakar Pawar’s book, Encyclopedia of Mumbai Crimes.

Book highlights Mumbai crime history

Referring to Pawar’s Encyclopedia of Mumbai Crimes, Bharti said that anyone looking for information about a particular crime in Mumbai could find it in the book.

“The book is, in a way, a manual and reference work on the history of crime in Mumbai,” Bharti said.

Journalism and police perspective

Bharti praised Pawar’s approach as a journalist, saying that he always tried to understand the police perspective before writing about an incident. Whenever questions were raised about a police action, Pawar would speak to the concerned officers to understand the facts before filing his report, Bharti said. This approach, he added, had helped Pawar establish a distinct identity as a journalist who also presents the police perspective.

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Contribution of police personnel

Bharti highlighted the contribution of police constables to the success of the Mumbai Police. “Nearly 95 per cent of the police force comprises constables. Whether it is maintaining law and order or investigating crimes, the maximum work on the ground is carried out by these personnel. However, they often do not receive the credit they deserve,” he said.

“We are as successful as our team is,” Bharti said, stressing that senior officers should work with this approach. According to him, policing can become more effective if senior officers identify the capabilities of their personnel, post them in suitable positions, monitor their performance and encourage and reward good work.

Indian Mujahideen module investigation

Bharti cited an investigation involving an Indian Mujahideen module as an example of the alertness of police personnel. The Mumbai Crime Branch had played an important role in investigations into bomb blasts across the country. In one such investigation, police had only a photograph of a suspect.

Despite the huge crowds at Mughalsarai Junction near Varanasi, a constable identified the suspect based on the photograph. Bharti said such alert and dedicated personnel can provide a crucial breakthrough in an investigation.

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Call for recognition of police personnel

Bharti urged Pawar to write a separate book highlighting the achievements of police officers and personnel who work on the ground to solve crimes. He said the contribution of such personnel often remains unnoticed, despite their efforts playing a crucial role in building the image of the Mumbai Police.

The Mumbai Police Commissionerate is among the oldest and most influential police commissionerates in the country. However, its success story should not be attributed only to commissioners or senior officers, Bharti said.

“Every officer and member of the force has a role to play in policing a metropolis like Mumbai,” he said.

Bharti also referred to the period of the Maratha agitation, when local police officers and personnel working on the ground played an important role in coordinating and managing the situation.

He said the success of a major operation or a law-and-order situation cannot be credited to a single senior officer.

In the present era, publicity should not become more important than actual work, Bharti said. Many officers and personnel who perform their duties diligently and quietly remain away from the limelight. It is the responsibility of senior officers to recognise their contribution and ensure that they receive the respect and recognition they deserve, he added.

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