CHAPTER - I
PRINCIPLES AND CODE OF CONDUCT OF THE KARNATAKA STATE POLICE FORCE.
1. (a) The
duties and responsibilities of the Police are to :
(i)
promote and preserve public order;
(ii)
investigate crimes and apprehend the offenders and participate in
subsequent legal proceedings
connected therewith;
(iii)
identify problems and situations that are likely to result in the commission
of crime;
(iv)
reduce the opportunities for the commission of
crimes through preventive patrol and other appropriate police measures;
(v)
aid and co-operate with other concerned agencies in
implementing other appropriate measures for prevention of
crimes;
(vi)
aid individuals who are in danger of physical harm;
(vii)
create and maintain a feeling of security in the
community;
(viii)
facilitate orderly movement of people and vehicles;
(ix)
counsel and resolve conflicts and promote amity;
(x)
provide other appropriate services and afford relief
to people in distress situations;
(xi)
collect intelligence relating to matters affecting
public peace and crimes in general including social and economic offences,
national integration and security; and
(xii)
perform such other duties as may be enjoined on them
by law.
(b)
The Police Officers have been given powers under the Code of Criminal Procedure,
1973 (Act No.II of 1974), the Karnataka Police Act, 1963 (Karnataka Act No.4 of
1964), and several special acts notified by the Government of India and the
Government of Karnataka in regard to these duties.
2. The Police must bear faithful allegiance
to the Constitution of India and respect
and uphold the rights of the citizens as guaranteed by it.
3. The Police are essentially a law enforcing agency. They should not question the propriety or necessity of any duly
enacted law. They should enforce the
law firmly and impartially, without fear or favour, malice or vindictiveness.
4. The police should recognise and respect
the limitations of their powers and functions.
They should not usurp or even seem to usurp the functions of the
judiciary and sit in judgement on cases, nor should they avenge individuals and
punish the guilty.
5. In securing the observance of law or in
maintaining order, the police should use the methods of persuasion, advice and
warning. Should these fail, and the application of force becomes inevitable,
only the absolute minimum required in the circumstances should be used.
6. The primary duty of the police is to
prevent crime and disorder and the police must recognise that the test of their
efficiency is the absence of both and not the visible evidence of police action
in dealing with them.
7. The police must recognise that they are
members of the public, with the only difference that in the interest of the
community and on its behalf they are employed to give full-time attention to
duties which are normally incumbent on every citizen to perform.
8. The police should realise that the
efficient performance of their duties will be dependent on the extent of ready
co-operation they receive from the public.
This, in turn, will depend on their ability to secure public approval of
their conduct and actions and to earn and retain public respect and
confidence. The extent to which they
succeed in obtaining public co-operation will diminish proportionately the
necessity of the use of physical force or compulsion in the discharge of their
functions.
9. The police should be sympathetic and
considerate to all people and should be constantly mindful of their
welfare. They should always be ready to
offer individual service and friendship and render necessary assistance to all
without regard to their wealth or social standing.
10. The police shall always place duty before self, should remain calm and good humoured whatever be the danger or provocation and should be ready to sacrifice their li