With the recent Delhi High Court blast adding to the growing list of terrorists attacks in the national capital and Mumbai, the government is now mulling over expanding the role of private security agencies in public security. The move is expected to tide over the manpower shortage in the police force.
The home ministry may allow private security companies to man more public installations and buildings by creating another layer of guards over and above the policemen and CISF jawans already there. Further, these agencies are likely to be strengthened by including them in the official intelligence sharing network. Their personnel may also be allowed to use certain government-approved arms. The home ministry is expected to hold a meeting with the top honchos of private security companies this week to finalise the strategy. The proposed opening up of about 20% of the guarding work to private companies will also augment their revenues as, at present, they hardly mop up more than 5% from government work.
Industry statistics reveal that the country has just about 11.5 lakh policemen as opposed to 40 lakh private security personnel. The logic behind the proposal is to let private security agencies increasingly take up the task of manning courts, government buildings and other installations and let the police concentrate on intelligence gathering and other crucial ops. ?The role of police in frisking and manning installations should be reduced to the minimum as they have much more utility in intelligence gathering and protection,? a senior official in the home ministry told FE. ?While private guards are already being employed in several government buildings, the aim now is create a cadre of private security personnel who are equipped to handle modern-day threats posed by terrorist activities,? said the official.
Under the planned security set-up, certain private security agencies will be roped in by the government for use at its various institutions. The new cadre of guards would be accredited by the government and its services could be mandated by both government and private agencies.
At a later stage, certain accredited private agencies may be roped in for intelligence sharing as well. “Intelligence sharing is one sensitive area that is being considered, but further talks are needed to finalise the modalities,” said the official. A cabinet secretariat meeting six months ago had, in fact, delved on creating a larger intelligence network by involving private agencies.
The ministry is also in the final stages of allowing private security personnel to use non-prohibitive bore arms, with certain riders.