REASON -- not reasoning -- is his way. Rationality - not ratio- nalisation -- is his tool. Nagpur’s ‘Iron Man’ Commissioner of Police Dr. Ravinder Kumar Singal uses these to head the 7,500-plus strong Police Force of Maharashtra’s Second Capital. Through these, he builds consensus in the rank and file of the Police Force. To some, his ways may appear rather tra- ditional. But to those who realise how tough it must be to head a modern Police Force, Dr. Singal’s methods have cer- tain universal charm.Very rarely he might be shouting his orders. No matter his soft countenance, Dr. Singal is a no-nonsense Police chief who does not give up traditional methods of polic- ing and leadership, but helps his Force to become modern every which the way. In the process, Dr. Singal -- a PhD in crowd management - - has spruced up the tradition- al beat policing method, encouraged sound leadership principle of consensus-build- ing at all levels of policing pyra- mid, created a modern shoot- ing range for his men and women to be able to wield the gun with marksman-like pro- ficiency, made available mod- ern gymnasia for the cops at all levels to be physically fit and mentally alert, drove his men and women to bring highest number of medals in Police Games in the State. “I derive real power from my Force -- from the lowest levels to the highest. In my institu- tional pyramid, power flows upward from bottom to the top. In reverse, authority percolates from the top -- down to the lowest levels,” Dr. Singal says. As Dr. Singal explains this dynamics, one feels charmed by the manner in which he explains this institutional con- vection current -- sensing how reason rules the roost. “Beat policing is a tradition- al idea, all right, but its inclu- siveness has proved its utility over time and in all cultures.The Beat Marshal is not just a police- man or policewoman. He is the first and the closest contact the Police Force has with the people in well-defined ‘Beat’ areas. He knows the area well. He knows people personally, He knows their culture, and he also knows which elements could be nasty and trouble- some.

 

It is through the Beat Marshal that the Police Force actually offers first response to any call. “My effort is to refine Beat Policing incrementally. I must say, we are making good strides in the right direction,” Dr. Singal asserts. His parents’ picture stands in a prominent corner of Dr. Singal’s functional and disci- plined work-table. He glances at it occasionally as he explains how important it is for him to help his men achieve higher performance levels. In their success, he feels immensely proud -- for example, the Director General’s Insignia to a senior officer. He makes con- scious efforts to notice excel- lence among his men and women, and promote their names to right forums for recognition, reward and awards. All this does not happen automatically, of course. The Police chief has to be at it all the time -- as his core and apex contribution to the leadership process. On that count, Dr. Ravinder Kumar Singal has proved to be an ever alert chief. “I insist that everybody in the Force must exercise the available freedom -- to prac- tise, to perform, to climb the ladder of excellence.

 

There are facilities. Use those. Do well for yourself”, Dr. Singal adds. The modern Police Shooting Range is helping the cops achieve finer marksmanship - - so much so that an officer has won medals at shooting com- petitions. So enthused is she by her success that she is now contemplating to buy her own weapon, Dr. Singal says flash- ing a smile. Of course, this smile is Dr. Singal’s constant companion. And the smile broadens all the more when his men and women achieve whatever lev- el of excellence. Birthdays of the personnel, their promo- tions at all levels, their other achievements are matters of eternal celebrations in Dr. Singal’s consideration. ‘This is my way of building the morale of the Force’, he seems to sug- gest. Of course, the intellectual- ly-oriented Dr. Singal is hard- ly the man to rest on these lau- rels.“My Force must keep doing better. I, too, therefore, must keep doing better, " he concludes