Whilst discussing community policing, the insurgency in India’s Northeast and Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) deserve special mention because they have their roots in distrust between the locals and the state. Due to a lack of faith in local police initially, insurgents and extremists gained the upper hand in both cases. They committed more crimes, further eroding people’s trust in law enforcement agencies. Since insurgents and extremists on one hand and security forces on the other rely on public support, a careful understanding of community policing will help form better policies to tackle these two challenges.

Insurgency in the Northeast

Northeast India has been one of the most disturbed zones in South Asia due to prolonged secessionist and separatist movements of different hues alongside developments like excessive resource extraction, while basic necessities are not met. The region affected by geopolitical dynamics and crime-insurgency nexus stipulates stability-resulting counter-insurgency operations. However, a notable decline in insurgencies has been recorded in recent times, also, hindrance in the healing process brought by Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) was reduced to some parts. The current environment is ideal to ensconce and invigorate community policing practices not only for inner turbulence but also for border management. Project Prahari by the state government of Assam started in 1996 and has benefited the remote populations in the state and armed conflict-prone areas. The project has now developed into producing knowledge products and Nagrik committees. Likewise, Tripura Police's Prayaas, 2011 initiative has proven to be effective in combating insurgency in the state. A unique Prayaas Beat Committee is an integral part of its multi-pronged strategy.

Northeast India has been one of the most disturbed zones in South Asia due to prolonged secessionist and separatist movements of different hues alongside developments like excessive resource extraction, while basic necessities are not met.

Community Relations efforts in Nagaland were been prepped since 2010 at different levels but were formally launched in 2016.  Initially, the model was to create jobs, but the Nagaland police understood that it was important to employ communities’ command and confidence in their internal affairs in obtaining information, particularly in insurgency-related crimes. Despite challenges like inadequate infrastructure and administrative hurdles during implementation, the community policing model in Nagaland is making progress.

After experiments like Rule-365 in the Assam Police Manual Part-III (requiring police superintendents to involve citizens in their work), and the Village Defence Force, 2009, the Manipur Government finally launched 'Community Policing,' in 2017, which, in a true sense complies with community participation and problem-solving. The current model, originally commenced as the 'Meira Paibis' (local women patrol team), is now a smart policing structure that includes legal interception units, public address systems, and CCTV cameras. The people of Manipur, as well as the Manipur Basti in Assam, have praised the practice. Meghalaya also has Village Defence Parties (VDP) but rather than an armed group, it is a volunteering-based collaboration useful in tracking the movement of militants. VDPs ensure the welfare of police officers and their families, as well as the reintegration of militants into normal life.

These community policing initiatives in the Northeast could be further reinforced to combat insurgency, illegal migration, and organised crime. Many of them have been proactively working towards deradicalisation and disengagement

Left-Wing Extremism

Ministry of Home Affairs has given special mention to community-oriented policing in dealing with LWE in India. National Policy Action Plan 2015 envisages a multipronged strategy that includes ensuring local communities' rights and entitlements in Maoist afflicted areas. Under the umbrella scheme ‘Modernisation of Police Forces’, sub-schemes like ‘Security Related Expenditure’ and ‘Civic-Action Programme’ approach the problem holistically. Both the schemes are directly formulated on community policing that not only adds a humanitarian dimension to the operations but also helps deradicalise and rehabilitate surrendered LWE cadres.

The juxtaposition of Community-oriented policing with other integrated COIN operation, have yielded positive results in some Naxal areas- Chandauli, Ranchi, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and Karimnagar.

The Ministry of Home Affairs’ Security related expenditure provides funds to the state governments of the 10 Naxalite affected states to meet capacity-building operational needs and also to assist their respective community policing initiatives. On the other hand, Civic-Action Programme encourages interaction between security forces and local communities through several welfare activities. For decades, several Naxal outfits have been operating in isolated and poorly connected parts of the country. However, due to the security forces’ crackdown in conjunction with community upliftment programmes (as a part of community policing), the red corridor tends to fade gradually- incidents of violence, from 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021, and ‘Most LWE-affected districts’ decreased to 30 in 2021 from 35 in 2018, as per Public Information Bureau. This is evident by the reduction in the number of districts covered under Security Related Expenditure from 90 in April 2018 to 70 in July 2021.  These upliftment programmes are useful in gaining the respective communities' confidence and trust. It will enable the forces and the public to respond quickly in case of future incidents or surprise attacks by expediting the flow of information.

The juxtaposition of Community-oriented policing with other integrated COIN operation, have yielded positive results in some Naxal areas- Chandauli, Ranchi, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, and Karimnagar. Other successful projects such as MeeKosam in Andhra Pradesh, and Project Varadhi in Vishakhapatnam provide victim assistance in addition to intelligence set-up, and negotiations. In Chhattisgarh, the Bastariya Battalion recruits tribal youngsters and serves as a model of youth participation in Maoist-affected areas. Community-oriented services have proven to be necessary to deter extremist movements and erase a sense of alienation amongst locals.

Limitations

Although it is important to understand that community policing alone cannot be sufficient enough to fight these menaces. The practice has its prudence to keep in mind, for instance:

1. Community police policing cannot solve ground problems like unemployment and poverty or societal problems;
2. Naxalites killing innocent civilians for helping security forces is altogether a serious matter of concern.

Organisational level limitations-

1. Regular police transfers may disturb the rapport built amongst locals;
2. Lack of understanding about the community and inhibited citizen involvement may disturb the process;
3. Inadequate resources for security forces may fluctuate their motivation.
4. When security forces rely too early on public intelligence, it defeats the whole purpose.

Local law enforcement must recognise that their efforts are crucial to the internal security strategy and that community-oriented policing may be the most effective technique for preventing terrorism and dealing with insurgency circumstances.

Conclusion

Last year, whilst virtually interacting with Indian Police Service (IPS) officers at Hyderabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated the community policing concept and emphasised the importance of changing the public's negative perception of police. Local law enforcement must recognise that their efforts are crucial to the internal security strategy and that community-oriented policing may be the most effective technique for preventing terrorism and dealing with insurgency circumstances. Also, transnational organised crime complicity and organised criminal behaviour in terrorism and insurgency are highly likely to displace both spatially or temporally. Here the key is to target extremists’ determination and motivation to offend through such security measures that do not wear out easily. Strong police-community partnership nullifies conflagrations and provides maximum damage control. Community-Oriented Policing as a strategy to build resilience against violent extremism is something that is being internationally promoted. In light of the internal security challenges discussed above, it facilitates the identification of threats, intelligence gathering, coordination amongst various state and independent bodies, and proactive response by the security forces towards potential violent acts. Though, it also has its limitations, and comprehending them is necessary for better implementation of the policies. However, community policing has requisite policy fundamentals which will serve the purpose of internal security on a large scale.

• Internal Security
• India
• AFSPA
• armed forces
• COIN operation
• Defence Force
• Insurgency
• Left-Wing Extremism
• LWE
• Northeast
• security
• VDP

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