Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 37/20

CHIEF MINISTER INAUGURATES POLICE ACADEMY AT UMRAN MEGHALAYA

Chief Minister, Shri Conrad K. Sangma today inaugurated the Meghalaya Police Academy at Umran, Niangbyrnai, Ri-Bhoi District in the presence of Minister, Home, Shri James K. Sangma.

In his address the Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to all those who have played a pivotal role in bringing the idea of the State’s very own police academy to fruition, adding that the premier training institute will cater to the training of police personnel not only from the State but the whole region as well. Emphasising on the importance of developing quality human capital the Chief Minister said that the new Police academy will equip our men and women in uniform with the right knowledge and skills to cope with the changing dynamics of policing in the State. ‘As a government it is our duty to ensure that our human capital becomes productive. If we have quality manpower our productivity will go up. With state of the art infrastructure and the right ingredients of novel and effective teaching techniques we can ensure proper training to our police force and improve their effectiveness’, he added.

The Chief Minister, while mentioning that fighting insurgency occupied most of the police department’s time, energy and resources in the recent past and the State now going through a relatively peaceful phase, said it is necessary for the police to be ready to meet up to new challenges in the era of increased digitally connected world. ‘In this digital era there are new kinds of challenges. We have cyber crimes that are taking place and not just cybercrimes but the entire technology aspect has made maintaining of overall law and order situation much more complicated’ he said while maintaining the need to adopt new techniques and technology aided solutions for ‘preventive’ policing. ‘It is important to be proactive rather than being reactive, he added.

Delivering his keynote address, Home Minister, Shri James K. Sangma while congratulating all the departments involved in setting up the academy expressed his special gratitude to the Ministry of Home Affairs, GOI, for their ‘invaluable support’ and said the Meghalaya Police Academy will be a hallmark of excellence with ‘efficiency and relevance – its path and effectiveness - its goal’. He further added that the academy will be a centre to increase the capacities of the police officers within and beyond the state in handling contemporary crimes and also bring about accountability.

Amongst others present at the inaugural function were Chief Advisor to the Government, Dr. D.D. Lapang, MLA and chairman of MGCC, Shri J. Mawlong, Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Smt R. Suchiang and DGP Meghalaya R. Chandranathan.