Thiruvananthapuram: State police chief Loknath Behera has introduced mandatory training with examination for those being promoted from sub-inspector to circle-inspector rank.
Probation of officers will be declared only if the officers obtain the qualifying marks.
The new norm is a prelude to mass promotion of SIs to CIs likely to happen soon as part of the government decision to make CIs stations house officers in all police stations.
However, there were apprehensions among police personnel whether such a norm for declaring probation could be mandated without a policy decision of the government.
About 275 SIs would have to be promoted to achieve the government's target.
Mr Behera said in a circular issued in this regard that there would be more responsibilities on circle inspectors as they would have to take care of law and order maintenance as well as carry out investigations.
Hence, training to enhance their skills was necessary and a four day training facility with a module that includes yoga and physical exercise, scientific investigations, communications and management skill development and legal aspects.
"There shall be a compulsory examination at the end of the program, which shall be graded. Officers who fail to achieve the qualifying marks in the examination shall have to repeat and clear the examination within two months, failing which their probation in the cadre shall not be declared," said the circular.
The decision to make circle-inspectors SHOs in all police stations was implemented in a phased manner from January.
Initially only the existing around 200 CIs in the local stream of the 475 odd police stations were made SHOs, and in the remaining 275-odd police stations, SIs are continuing as SHOs.
This was causing serious administrative issues in policing. Hence the government is now planning to upgrade the SHO posts of all the remaining 275 stations also as that of CIs promoting senior SIs.
