Remove every cop with criminal record, orders IGP

Sindh police chief Ghulam Nabi Memon has ordered the immediate removal all the police officials who possess criminal records and to send them to their respective headquarters.

Officials said that a few days ago Inspector General of Police (IGP) Memon had directed all the additional IGPs, deputy IGPs (DIGPs) and senior superintendents of police in the province to remove all the police officials possessing criminal records and send them to headquarters.

They said that during the Command Conference on June 4, the police chief had ordered that a list of police officers with criminal records — whether acquitted by court or not — be compiled immediately and shared with the office of the DIG Establishment by June 9.

The officers will be removed from any operational post at once, until the completion of their service review by a board constituted by the police chief, they added.

Moreover, said the officials, departmental proceedings at district and range levels may be initiated against the officers with criminal records to assess their service records.

They added that the proceedings may recommend if the officials are suitable to be retained in the Sindh police in the light of the Supreme Court’s judgment on the dismissal of police officers with patchy records and ensuring a proper procedure of departmental proceedings in accordance with the efficiency and disciplinary rules.

The IGP has also directed that the list of these officers be shared with the office of the DIG Establishment by August 10, along with specific recommendations and remarks of the addl IGPs and the DIGPs of the ranges concerned in the light of the departmental proceedings for assessing the suitability of the officers for police service.

The officials said that the procedure of removal has started, with 63 policemen of the Hyderabad Range from the ranks of constable to inspector removed from their posts because each of them either possesses a criminal record or has been acquitted, and they have been sent to the Black Company, Police Headquarters.

Likewise, they said, 27 Karachi officials of various ranks have been removed from their posts and sent to the Garden Police Headquarters by the District Keamari police, and 67 officials have been sent to the police headquarters by the District Matiari police.

They added that the procedure of the removal of the officials possessing criminal records is under way in other districts and ranges of the Sindh police.

They pointed out that the IGP has also ordered the deployment of female officials at different police stations of the province as station house officers (SHOs) and record keepers.

They said that the police chief has announced that after female SHOs, female head clerks will also be appointed because he has decided to give more opportunities to women police officials in the department.

The officials said that women will also be appointed on other posts, including duty officer, adding that female SHOs have already been deployed at different police stations in Karachi, and now women will be given opportunities to work on other matters of police stations as well.