Police-Community Relations in the Capital Cities of the North Eastern States of India: A Study of People's Perception in the Perspective of Community Policing

Apposite police-community relationship in India is still in a nascent stage owing to the assorted attribute of the Indian society. Caste, communal and religious discords act as a barrier in developing a widespread awareness of the common interests of the community. Community policing in India operates at the level of some programmes and not as a philosophy internalized by police officers. The present study seeks to explore the people’s perception of police-community relations in the north eastern states of India. The study seeks to evaluate whether the awareness, sensitization and participation of the people in the community policing initiatives of the capital cities of north east India have been successful in bridging the gap between the police and the public. The north east of India has not aroused much  inquisitiveness in academic research and more specifically in so far as governance is concerned. It has been an area shrouded in mystery due to its geographical locations and unique ethnic culture. The tribal culture has suffered discrimination and has been marginalised because of prejudices. The police too has been suffering from this malaise. To restore the trust of the people, it is necessary to appraise the diverse cultures and involve them in community development programmes of which community policing is surely a must. In this regard, the findings of the present study can contribute in analysing the nature of police-public relations and the impediments to stronger police-community interactions in the north east of India.