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Though the city witnesses a variety of crimes, including drug peddling and communal clashes, a large number of vacancies, accounting for nearly one-third of the sanctioned posts in the City Police Commissionerate, has been affecting the functioning of the police force.

Added to this, the proposal of the city police to enhance the sanctioned strength by about 400 personnel, from 1,800, has been pending with the government for nearly a year. The Police Commissioner had, on August 18, 2015, written to the government seeking enhancement of the sanctioned strength of personnel in different police stations.

While police stations in Mysuru and Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissionerates have average sanctioned strength of 18 police head constables and 56 police constables, those in the Mangaluru Commisisonerate have an average of 12 head constables and 36 police constables. Moreover, the Commissionerate limit extends to the entire Mangaluru taluk, though it is called Mangaluru City Police, covering towns, Mulki, Moodbidri and communally sensitive Ullal.

Two of the 25 sanctioned posts of police inspectors, including that of Ullal, have remained vacant for long.

Of the 43 sanctioned posts of police sub-inspectors, 25 are vacant. On the other hand, 33 posts of head police constables out of the 263 are vacant and 444 posts of police constables out of the 883 sanctioned posts are vacant. Besides vacancies in the regular police force, 126 posts out of the 519 in the City Armed Reserve police too have remained vacant. The Special Branch, the Crime Branch and the Wireless Wing, which are the backbone of effective policing, too are facing severe shortage of manpower.

Under consideration

Police Commissioner M. Chandra Sekhar told The Hindu that the proposal for enhancement of the sanctioned strength is under the active consideration of the government.

The enhancement is justified given the nature of crimes committed in the region, the vast geographical limits of the Commissionerate and the population covered, he said.

Considering the sensitive nature of Ullal region and the geographical area, the city police have sought almost doubling the sanctioned strength of Ullal Police Station by 77 personnel, taking the total to 133.

The enhancement sought includes two sub-inspectors, four assistant sub-inspectors, 15 head constables and 50 police constables. The strength of the Mangaluru South Police Station that covers the central business district, is sought to be enhanced by 66 posts.

As far as the vacancies are concerned, Mr. Chandra Sekhar said that about 140 constables who are undergoing training would soon join the force and another recruitment rally would be held in the first week of May.