Kerala High Court calls for modernisation of police force, video recording official actions

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday called for modernisation of the police force including video recording of the actions of police personnel [Mahesh R v Anilkant]..Justice Devan Ramachandran questioned the senior government counsel representing the police, as to why the police was to opposed recording their official actions on video and were viewing it as an obstruction to their duty despite the global practice of monitoring police conduct."All I want from the police is a modern outlook. All that the citizen wants from the police is a break from the colonial past. In other parts of the world, every action of the police are recorded. Every car has a dash camera and everything that they do is recorded. It is all being monitored," the judge said.The judge also asked why officers, despite circulars from the State police chief, were resisting the directives and hesitant in adopting a modern approach while serving the public."If an officer still believes that video recording is an obstruction to discharge of duty, then that man must be be sent back to school. Even after the circulars are passed by the chief of police, if the officers don't know it or refuse to follow it, then how can the State police chief continue as the State police chief," the Court asked..The Court was dealing with a number of petitions concerning police conduct, including one filed by the Kerala High Court Advocate Association (KHCAA) seeking a mechanism for the fast-track adjudication of complaints against police misconduct.It was alleged that police had violated the judgment of the Court which had directed them to behave in a civilized manner while dealing with the publicIn one of the cases, the allegation was that a police officer had behaved improperly with a man.The man had recorded the same on video. The police officer told the Court that recording his actions on video obstructed his official duties and that whatever had happened was in the heat of the moment..However, the Court was displeased to note that the police officer was trying to justify his improper conduct."Is it too much for a citizen to ask that his public servant should behave in a civil manner. Who gives you the authority to behave like this, I don’t understand. If you say that 'I acted in the heat of the moment', saying that itself is incorrect because, if someone comes and tells me that 'I have acted in an indecorous manner in the heat of the moment', you are not deserving to be a civil officer." .The Court asked the police why they were trying to instill fear among the public, making them feel unwelcome and hesitant to approach a police station."Why are the police trying to act 'In Terrorem (giving legal threats)'. Police stations are public offices. The public should not fear entering the police station but (should be) welcomed," he said.Humility must be a hallmark of a civilized police force, the single-judge underscored.The judge, however, clarified that Kerala Police is indeed one of the best in the country with fine officers but even one bad apple will spoil the barrel."The case is not that all officers are bad. I say even now without any reservation that the brute majority are excellent officers. Our force is the finest in the country. No doubt about it. But one bad apple is enough to spoil the rest," the judge said..The Court eventually proceeded to direct the government counsel to file a report on the inquiry initiated by the State police into the allegations leveled against the respondent-police officer..The matter will be heard again on June 11.