National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Thursday said the responsibility of police officers was not just to maintain law and order but also create “right perception” about the force using technology. He, however, cautioned that it should be totally credible and not “propagandist”.
Addressing around 150 young Superintendents of Police at the third such conference in Gurugram’s Apparel House, Mr. Doval felt that technology could play an important role in “perception management” and not just finding solution to the routine problems related to policing.
“In a democracy, it is extremely important that you should not only be totally dedicated to the law and do things fairly and objectively, but you are seen as credible,” said Mr. Doval in his around 30-minute address.
It was the responsibility of senior officers to create the right perception about the force through social media or their contacts. It was the perception that provided confidence to people, enhanced their trust and made their lives psychologically more secure. People felt safe when they had the perception that the police were honest, alert, efficient, objective, professionally competent and friendly, he stated.
Mr. Doval, a 1968 batch IPS officer, said that in the face of a problem, there were a few constants that one could not change, and the variables. Technology helped convert the constants into the variable and augmented the capability of the police. He also emphasised the need to define the problem first to find a solution to it.
Earlier, Mr. Doval visited the stalls at Police Expo 2020.
