Rajasthan Police Performance

The Rajasthan Police initiated an intervention in 2006 with researchers which aimed to enhance police performance, improve public opinion, and gather objective information about crime rates and performance. In response to survey data that identified issues of concern, the police (with input from the researchers) designed four interventions, randomly implemented in 150 police stations in 11 districts across Rajasthan, with 25 of those stations serving as a comparison. All treated stations received in-service training at the Rajasthan Police Academy Jaipur, which included classes to improve the competence level and scientific techniques of 350 investigating officers, and soft skills training for all personnel, including skills such as communication, mediation, stress management, motivation, and team building. Second, all treatment stations also froze administrative transfers for one and a half years, since frequent transfers seemed to have adverse effects on personnel and their families. Some stations also invited local volunteers, called community observers, to sit in the police station for three hours in the morning and evening, observing day-to-day activities. The objective was to increase public awareness of the roles of the police and improve police behavior through informal monitoring. Finally, some stations implemented a weekly day off and a duty rotation system. The entire staff in selected police stations received one day off every seven days. Additionally, each person was given the opportunity to perform all duties on a rotating basis, equally allocating tasks among personnel. This provided a more transparent and fair work environment, potentially reducing stress. The impact of the project was measured using a baseline and endline survey administered to 7,981 randomly selected individuals in the 150 police station jurisdiction. This survey covered public opinion of the police, public experiences with crime, and past interactions with police. Then a baseline and endline survey of approximately 50% of all police personnel, 2,367 officers, was conducted in project centers to assess police job satisfaction, efficiency, and performance.