Dergaon: Assam is looking to add as many as 20,000 new police personnel to its force over the next five years as part of the state government’s larger plan to provide employment to two lakh young people, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday.
Sarma made the announcement while addressing the passing-out parade at the Lachit Borphukan Police Academy (LBPA) in Dergaon, where 403 newly trained police personnel formally completed their training.
According to the Chief Minister, the state has already recruited approximately 21,000 police officers and constables during the past five years through what he described as a transparent and merit-based recruitment process. He said the sustained intake of young personnel has helped transform the Assam Police into a more youth-oriented force.
Sarma said the government now intends to work towards a zero-vacancy Assam Police, with recruitment planned to fill vacant positions and maintain adequate manpower across the force. Against the broader target of providing two lakh government jobs over the next five years, he estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 additional police personnel could be recruited during the period.
The Chief Minister also highlighted what he described as improvements in Assam’s law-and-order situation. He said the crime rate had declined from 379 cases per one lakh population in 2021 to 116 per one lakh population in July 2024. He further stated that the number of registered cases had dropped from 1,33,239 to around 25,000, while the charge-sheet rate had increased to 86.85 per cent and the conviction rate had reached nearly 30 per cent.
Sarma also pointed to the state’s continuing campaign against illegal drugs. Over the past five years, Assam Police has seized narcotics valued at approximately Rs 3,254 crore and arrested 26,537 people, he said. The conviction rate in drug-related cases, according to the Chief Minister, has risen to around 57 per cent.
At the same time, Sarma cautioned that Assam’s geographical position would continue to present security challenges. The state shares international borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar, making continued vigilance and effective policing essential, he said.
The Chief Minister called for a strict approach to crimes against women and asked the police to maintain zero tolerance towards such offences. He also stressed the need for stronger action against child marriage and polygamy.
Sarma specifically directed the police to intensify anti-drug operations in Barak Valley, Golaghat, Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh, areas he identified as requiring increased attention in the fight against narcotics.
The passing-out ceremony at LBPA marked the completion of training for 32 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DySPs) and 371 Constables (Communication). The DySPs underwent a 52-week foundational training programme that included an initial two-week orientation at the academy and two months of training at the North Eastern Police Academy (NEPA) in Meghalaya.
Their training covered a range of criminal and specialised laws, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, POCSO Act, Arms Act and NDPS Act. The programme also included instruction in cybercrime, forensic science and child protection, alongside practical training in arms handling and safety, horse riding, swimming, IED management and crowd control.
Sarma asked the Director General of Police to further raise the standards of training at the Lachit Borphukan Police Academy. He said the institution should aim for training standards comparable to those followed by the Indian Armed Forces and the Agniveer programme, while also strengthening specialised commando training.
The Chief Minister is also scheduled to participate in a two-day conference of Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) at LBPA on Wednesday and Thursday. According to Sarma, the conference will be the first of its kind since the present government came to power.
During the conference, discussions are expected to focus on key policing and security issues, including law and order, future recruitment, the drug menace, crimes against women and children, among other matters.
With fresh recruitment planned alongside efforts to eliminate vacancies, the state government is seeking to expand and modernise the Assam Police while placing greater emphasis on manpower, specialised training and crime prevention.
