CM inaugurates police academy at Umran
NONGPOH: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that it is necessary for Meghalaya Police to be ready to face new challenges in the era of increased digitally connected world as fighting insurgency has occupied most of the department’s time, energy and resources in the recent past. The chief minister was speaking at the inauguration of the Meghalaya Police Academy at Umran, Niangbyrnai, Ri Bhoi in the presence of Home Minister James Sangma.
“In this digital era there are new kinds of challenges. We have cyber crimes that are taking place and not just cybercrimes, but the entire technology aspect has made maintaining of overall law and order situation much more complicated,” Conrad said while maintaining the need to adopt new techniques and technology aided solutions for ‘preventive’ policing. “It is important to be proactive rather than being reactive,” the chief minister, who inaugurated the police academy, added.
In his address, Conrad expressed his gratitude to all those who have played a pivotal role in bringing the idea of the state’s very own police academy to fruition, adding that the premier training institute will cater to the training of police personnel not only from the state but the whole region as well.
Emphasising on the importance of developing quality human capital, the chief minister said that the new police academy will equip our men and women in uniform with the right knowledge and skills to cope with the changing dynamics of policing in the state. “As a government, it is our duty to ensure that our human capital becomes productive. If we have quality manpower, our productivity will go up. With state-of-the-art infrastructure and the right ingredients of novel and effective teaching techniques, we can ensure proper training to our police force and improve their effectiveness,” he added.
Delivering his keynote address, Home Minister James Sangma while congratulating all the departments involved in setting up the academy, expressed his special gratitude to the Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI, for their ‘invaluable support’ and said the Meghalaya Police Academy will be a hallmark of excellence with ‘efficiency and relevance – its path and effectiveness – its goal’.
He further added that the academy will be a centre to increase the capacities of the police officers within and beyond the state in handling contemporary crimes and also bring about accountability.
James also informed that the construction work of the academy began during 2013 in the first phase at a cost of Rs 50 crore under the 13th Finance Commission. The second phase of the project was estimated at an amount of Rs 91.85 crore, earmarked under the 15th Finance Commission.
Others who were present included DD Lapang, Chief Advisor to the government, J Mawlong, MLA and chairman of MGCC, R. Suchiang, Additional Chief Secretary, Home and R Chandranathan, DGP, Meghalaya.