Role of Police in Disaster Management Presentation by: Rakesh Kr Sinha, Joint Advisor (Rehabilitation, Recovery, NDRF & Civil Defence) National Disaster Management Authority Government of India 1Mizoram Police Department

DISASTER Affects & Threatens Lives Loss of Property Dislocates Livelihood Creates Trauma & Deprivation Need for State Intervention 2Mizoram Police Department

POLICE Symbol of State Authority Arms of Law Enforcement Performs Sovereign Task of the State of Protecting Life Tool for Implementing State Policies Trained & Disciplined Human Resource 3Mizoram Police Department

ROLE OF POLICE No defined role of Police in Disaster Management. Police is always first to reach the site of disaster – To provide security and maintain law and order at disaster location. – To prevent commission of cognizable offences against life, property and public tranquility. 4Mizoram Police Department

ADVANTAGES OF POLICE SYSTEM IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT Well developed Communication System Wider Reach : Every village covered Familiarity with Local Terrain & Area Developed countries mostly have built their Disaster Response Capabilities at Local County/Distt. Level Awareness about People’s Sensitivities 5Mizoram Police Department

ISSUES OF INTEREST Realisation of Importance of role of Police in Disaster Response towards : – Saving life & Property of victims – Projecting a humanitarian face of Police – Image building exercise for Police States to have State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) - as decided in Annual DPGs Conference, Mizoram Police Department

NEED FOR CAPACITY BUILDING OF POLICE AT GRASS-ROOT LEVEL Central Assistance takes Time to Reach Local Police First to Arrive at Any Disaster Site Use of State Armed/ Reserve Bns. for Capacity Building in Disaster Response Easy to motivate & Train Son of Soils to Save Lives 7Mizoram Police Department

POLICE TRAINING FOR DISASTER RESPONSE NDMA’s Mandate & Role To upgrade the skills, the know-how, training facilities and knowledge of the State Disaster Response Forces (State Police Personnel), through the training of Master Trainers in: Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR), Medical First Response (MFR), and Flood Rescue Training (FRT) 8Mizoram Police Department

POLICE TRAINING FOR DISASTER RESPONSE Contd… Strategy Training of Trainers: An important element of the training would be preparing the trainers for State Police. The strategy rests on the elements of multiplication; wherein the knowledge and skills imparted to Trainers would be shared and imparted to all the personnel in SDRF. Transfer the Skills and Know-how Master Trainers of NDRF Master Trainers of NDRF ToT for State Police ToT for State Police Training of SDRF 9Mizoram Police Department

POLICE TRAINING FOR DISASTER RESPONSE Roadmap The suggested roadmap requires that NDMA and DRF work together. There will be certain obligations that need to be fulfilled by the SDRF, in terms of reparation of infrastructure, procurement of equipments, personnel identification for Trainers based on the qualifications and criteria laid down by NDMA. NDMA will provide all the necessary help with regards to providing Master Trainers, list of equipments, design of training infrastructure, running of training programme at SDRF locations and making available syllabus/ lessons/plans etc. 10Mizoram Police Department

STATE DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE (SDRF) Proposed Structure  The respective State Governments should start forming SDRF in accordance with structural similarities of NDRF.  The SDRF should be in form of Battalions consisting of personnel from State Armed Police, Home Guards and Civil Defense.  The States may also have a choice to recruit young candidates in the age group of 18 to 35 for a short service commission for SDRF Battalions. 11Mizoram Police Department

STATE DISASTER RESPONSE FORCE (SDRF) (contd …….) Proposed Structure  The number of Battalions in a State would depend on the Size, Population and vulnerability of the respective state to natural calamities.  One battalion of SDRF should consist of around 1000 personnel.  One SDRF Battalion would be divided in 20 Specialist Response Teams, each consisting of 45 to 50 personnel including technicians and paramedics. 12Mizoram Police Department

ROAD AHEAD  Many States have shown interest in raising SDRF  Orissa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra have already taken up the task in right earnest and actively associated with NDMA  Other States are also gradually following the pursuit.  So far 21 States have sent their Police Personnel for NDMA sponsored ToT course in Disaster Response 13Mizoram Police Department

Thank You 14Mizoram Police Department