Mumbai: Public's faith in force has diminished at some level, need to win it back, says Maharashtra DGP

Rashmi Shukla. File Pic

Maharashtra Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla on Friday said that the public's faith in the force had "diminished" at some level and asserted that policing would be ineffective "without winning the trust and support of the community that we serve", reported the PTI.

Rashmi Shukla, who took charge as the state's first woman DGP on January 9, shared her thoughts on X, formerly Twitter.

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It was the force's responsibility to win back the trust of the public by "moving past the errors of the past", she added.

"I believe that our policing is ineffective without winning the trust and support of the community that we serve. However, it seems vital to recognise that, at some level, the public's faith in our police force has diminished," she said on X.

"Moving past the errors of the past, I recognise it is our responsibility to win back your (citizens) trust and assure you that all police units in the state are and will continue working diligently to protect you and your rights," she said.

Rashmi Shukla said she had returned to Maharashtra armed with valuable experience gained from leading a Central Police Force and asserted she was committed to fostering the highest standards of professional conduct among all police personnel in the state.

"We will rebuild bridges between police and communities, and I will not tolerate any unjustified acts of violence, exploitation, or misconduct by any members of the police force," she warned.

There are "many and varied" challenges confronting the force, and the state will surely face some trying times, she said.

"The force will rise to confront the challenges without hesitation or bias," said the DGP, who has had stints in the Central Reserve Police Force and the Seema Sashastra Bal.

Rashmi Shukla, a 1988 batch IPS officer, became the first woman Director General of Police (DGP) of the Maharashtra Police. As the senior-most officer, Shukla emerged as the frontrunner for the top post following the retirement of her batchmate Rajnish Seth on December 31, who now serves as the chairman of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, who temporarily assumed the state DGP role had officially passed on the charge to Rashmi Shukla in January.

(with PTI inputs)