In Mumbai: No detection staff at Worli police station for 6 months

Worli police station has been operating without a detection staff for six months now.

Senior police officers had decided to disband the detection staff because of acute shortage in manpower.

Every police station has a detection squad , which investigates serious offences. The squad usually works in two shifts, with either an assistant police Inspector or a police sub inspector leading the team of five constables.

“The detection staff is very important because it keeps track of every crime registered with the police station and investigates the important ones,” said an officer.

Sources said that in the absence of a detection squad for six months, a special team would be formed for important cases.

Every police station has a sanctioned strength of 180 personnel, of which only 140 odd are filled. At a time, about 20 to 30 officers are absent because they have weekly offs or are deployed on official work. So the actual strength comes down to about 100.

“Police stations have to focus more on law and order situations, due to which the decision to disband detection staff was taken. We have two detection officers but no one to work with them,” said another officer. “Worli police station has high profile cases registered frequently. The decision might have to be revoked.”