Over 3,000 positions in Nepal Police remain vacant

Kathmandu, Mar.31: More than 3,000 posts of various ranks remain vacant in the Nepal Police. 

Out of 79,541 vacancies in Nepal Police, 4.13 per cent or 3,289 posts are vacant, Deputy Inspector General and Spokesperson for the Police Headquarters Bhim Prasad Dhakal said.

According to DIG Dhakal, the government has not endorsed additional vaccines for the Nepal Police since 2014. 

In 1959, there were only 7,000 vacancies in Nepal Police and they were increased to 18,000 in 1984. 

According to the Police Headquarters, there is an urgent need to add 25,000 manpower to the police as there have been requests for the establishment of police units or posts in various places in the country. 

Police Spokesperson Dhakal said that there was a need to add at least 20,000 manpower given the security risk immediately.

Meanwhile, the presence of policewomen is also low in Nepal Police. 

According to the Police Headquarters, only 11 per cent of the total vacancies working in the Nepal Police are women. 

DIG Dhakal said 8,899 women are now working in the force while the number of men is 67,353. Of this, 2.78 per cent are above the officer level (police inspector), while below the officer, 15.06 per cent are working as Sub-Inspector, and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASAI) and 82 per cent are working below the police constable.

Likewise, the Police Headquarters has informed that one policeman in Nepal is currently responsible for protecting 439 citizens. 

According to the United Nations standard, one policeman has the responsibility to protect 333 citizens. “But, we, Nepal Police are forced to take the responsibility of an additional 106 citizens every day,” said DIG Dhakal.

According to the ranks of the police in all seven provinces, some provinces are close to international standards while other provinces have more than that, said DIG Dhakal. 

According to the 15th plan of government, one policeman has to protect up to 280 citizens of the country. Therefore, police manpower is less than the requirement, he added.

According to the Police Headquarters, the number of policemen resigning due to various reasons is increasing every year. In the last five years alone, 6,983 police officers from junior to senior ranks have resigned, which is an average of 1,400 per year. In the current financial year alone, 221 police personnel have resigned citing different reasons.

According to experts, it is a matter of loss for the country when skilled manpower leaves in such a way. Former Additional Inspector General Rajendra Singh Bhandari said that the exit of skilled manpower from the security agencies is a matter of loss and the organisation and the government should think about it soon.

Generally, the government spends at least Rs. 2 million to prepare a person to serve as the police. After passing out, the government is also spends on salary and allowance management, training, foreign travel, among others, said Bhandari.