While the department has been shouting itself hoarse that it is grossly understaffed, as many as a dozen police officers are in excess in the city and with no place in police stations to accommodate them (their places have already been filled by new PIs) these have been either shifted to the control room, special branch or the traffic. Interestingly, ``these police officers are out of their postings at the police stations because the new PIs have been directly getting order letters from the state government to be posted at police stations of their choice in the city,'' a senior police officer told The Indian Express.

Officials here feel that there are just two ways to address the issue. The firstbeing that these excess police officials be transferred out of the city. The second: create a new system, where, like in Ahmedabad and other major cities, every police station has two police inspectors with one looking after detection and the other being an administrative official. A police officer said distinct moves are being made to put into effect the second option. Meanwhile, an officer while requesting anonymity said Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel has called for a list of all police officials of the city and their service records.

Chief Minister Patel, while fending off allegations that the city, being a lucrative place was preferred by police officials, denied any knowledge about police officers directly getting transfer orders from the government. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, the Chief Minister categorically said, ``I have no knowledge of this.'' An order from the office of the DGP to the city police however states that the PI's of Salabatpura, Athwa Lines, Licence Branch, Pandesara and Randerpolice stations (all these appointments were made in the past 10 days) have directly been from the government while the police commissioner is the authority to effect transfers at the city police commissionerate level. The outgoing PI's have presently been put up at the control room, licence branch, traffic and patrolling units.

Interestingly, three of these five officials have earlier served in the city and have again managed to get themselves posted while two others have got themselves transferred within the city on the basis of orders from the office of the DGP, which directly functions under the home ministry of the state government. The Chief Minister, who denied knowledge of the orders, also holds the home portfolio. He however added during the meeting that the practice had been initiated by the preceding RJP government and all issues relating to transfers of PI's and PSI's will be handed over by the government to the DGP soon.

Police officials contend that there is no point in singling out thepolice department and the same situation is also prevalent in the revenue and other government departments. ``Education of children and other personal problems are more important in these cases rather than vested interests, an official said. What is however encouraging is that the whole issue has considerably raised the possibility of two police inspectors in a single police station. At least one major problem dogging the police for years – detection of crimes – might just show an upward trend.