One can count honest cops on fingers today………Mateen Hafeez
Mumbai: IPS officer A N Roy, who retired as the head of the state police two months ago, has said that today, non-corrupt officers can be counted on fingers, which was not the scene when he joined the force.
In an interview to Mumbai police’s bi-monthly magazine, The Protector, Roy said rampant corruption at both higher and lower levels in the force saddened him. He said that when he joined the department, there were only a few corrupt officers, but now, honest cops can be counted on fingers.
Roy, who retired on May 31 after spending 38 years in the force, spoke at length about terrorism, metropolitan policing, the force strength, his own innings in the service and his role models. Roy, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, had served as the Mumbai police commissioner for over three years before heading the state police.
“When I joined the service, there were only a few officers who were spoken about as corrupt. There was a stigma attached to corruption at that time and we, the juniors, vowed that we will never be like them,’’ Roy told the magazine, adding, “Today, it is no longer a stigma, a flaw or a fault. Corruption is now allpervasive. You can now count on your fingers the uncorrupt officers.’’
Talking about corruption in the force, Roy said all this has led to dilution of discipline, lowering of morale and poor performance. “I am concerned about this growing menace, which is also a threat to our security. I would like to see the passing of some law or effective measures that will throttle this menace,’’ Roy said.
Roy did not agree that poor salaries was the reason for corruption. “In recent times, the salaries have gone up and several facilities have been provided. They are poor only when they compare themselves with the Joneses. Why do you want what your neighbour has? We also would like to send our kids to public schools, but if our income does not permit that, will we take bribes and set a bad example to the very child we are trying to give a better education?’’ Roy said.
According to Roy, today a government employee is in a better position to lead a decent and respectable life. “But there can be no end to ones greed,’’ he concluded.
Retired top cops like S S Jog, Satish Sawhney and Julio Rebeiro were his role models, Roy said.