Can a New Training Initiative Reform the Behaviour of the UP Police? Citizens Hope So
In an ambitious attempt to improve the behavioural, social, and technical competence of the Uttar Pradesh Police, the Uttar Pradesh Directorate of Police Training, in collaboration with the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, has launched a three-day pilot workshop at the police headquarters.
The programme was inaugurated by Director General of Police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna in the presence of TISS Vice-Chancellor Badri Narayan Tiwari and Director General of the Directorate of Police Training Rajeev Sabharwal.
Addressing the participants, DGP Krishna underlined that training forms the backbone of both personal and professional growth.
He said that world-class institutions and security forces thrive on continuous, high-quality training. Highlighting the exclusivity of the programme, he noted that only 40 officers had been selected from a massive force of nearly four lakh personnel.
“Knowledge and technical skills are important, but attitude and behaviour define an officer’s true success,” Krishna said, adding that communication — verbal as well as non-verbal — plays a crucial role in policing, as public interaction shapes the image of the entire force.
He expressed optimism that the initiative would positively influence not just the organisation but also the personal lives of the participating officers.
Professor Tiwari echoed similar sentiments, stating that connecting the world’s largest police force with human sensitivity was both a challenge and a necessity. “TISS aims to help the police evolve into a more humane, responsive, and effective service,” he said.
Sabharwal explained that the programme is a structured, competency-based capacity-building initiative focusing on behavioural competence, soft skills, and real-life decision-making.
It includes experiential learning methods such as case studies, role plays, and activity-based modules.
The training rests on three core pillars — behavioural understanding, operational soft skills, and learning through real-life case scenarios.
While the initiative has been welcomed in principle, a pressing question remains: will such workshops truly bring about a change in the ground-level behaviour of the Uttar Pradesh Police, which has often been accused by citizens of high-handedness even towards law-abiding people?
Prominent citizens of the state say that if the programme leads to genuine improvement in police conduct and public engagement, it would be a highly welcome step.
However, many stress that real reform will be measured not in training halls but on the streets, police stations, and everyday interactions with the public.
Only time will tell whether this well-intentioned effort translates into a more sensitive and citizen-friendly police force in Uttar Pradesh.
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