Bengaluru: Senior IPS officer Rupak Kumar Dutta on Tuesday took over as as Director General & Inspector General of Police. Dutta replaced Om Prakash, who retired on superannuation, as the state police chief.

Spelling out his agenda, Dutta said: “Restoration of public faith in investigations at the police station level is need of the hour. The public have lost faith in investigations at the police station level. The public doubt investigations by the CID. People want every case to be investigated by the CBI. Some even urge courts to monitor the CBI investigation and set up special investigation teams. We need to restore public faith in investigations,’’ he said.

Stating that public continue to dislike the police, Dutta asked his subordinates to bring police stations closer to people and win their confidence. “I believe in team spirit and collective efforts. My dream is to make the Karnataka police the finest force in the country, with due cooperation and support from colleagues.

Transparency in administration and investigation will be hallmarks in my tenure,” he said.
“I am a man in a hurry as I am at the fag end of my career. I require each one of my colleagues to perform. Nobody in the department is my favourite or foe. I judge and gauge each one of my subordinates purely on the basis of their professional performance. Proactive policing, sensitivity towards victims as well as suspects and, openness in functioning are my priorities,” he said.

Dutta, a 1981-batch IPS officer, said he would provide proper leadership to the Karnataka police force and restore its reputation affected by a series of developments in the department.

“I will lead from the front. I will provide leadership through my conduct and integrity,” he told reporters.

“I don’t want to comment on unhealthy developments and lack of leadership in the last four years. I am determined to create conducive, robust and clean atmosphere. There will be a lot of motivation for subordinates during my tenure. I will generate ideas needed to ensure the change,” he said.

Dutta refused to answer why the Centre did not consider him for the post of CBI director. On reports that a former chief minister of Karnataka had impressed upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to consider him for the post, Dutta said: “ I am not aware of such reports. I am happy to be the DG&IGP. I would have preferred the DGP’s post to that of CBI director if there was an option.”

Dutta said women’s safety in Bengaluru is top on his agenda. “A minor development involving women in Bengaluru immediately attracts international attention. There were certain developments on New Year’s Eve, exposing women’s safety. I will have a meeting with the Bengaluru Police Commissioner Praveen Sood and chalk out a plan of action for women’s safety. I welcome any suggestions by women’s organisations in this regard. I am open for new ideas,” he added.