Preface There is no other wing of governance which touches the life of the citizens so closely as the police. Its functions which, in earlier days were primarily confined to preservation of public peace, law and order and prevention and detection of crime, are now perceived to include the protection of the democratic set up of our polity as enshrined in the Preamble to our Constitution, which among other things, includes ensuring a life of dignity to all citizens. For all these rights and freedoms to prosper, a firm interface between the guardians of law and civil society is the first and foremost need. In order to attain this interface in a democratic set up and a welfare State it is the image of arbitrariness and torture that needs to be shed and refurbished by all ranks of the police force by adopting high professional standards in solving crimes and handling criminals. The role of the police leadership is crucial in this endeavour. It has to be understood that a misplaced protective approach, towards the acts of omission and commission by their subordinates, breeds an attitude of impunity, which is very adversarial to human rights ethos. They need to ensure that their subordinates work with the spirit to promote rule of law, which alone can serve as a guarantee against violations of human rights. The National Human Rights Commission – ever since its inception- has been receiving large number of complaints against police for making unjustified, indiscriminate arrests, including implication of innocent persons in false cases. The civil society considers it as a serious assault on human dignity and violation of human rights. It is no longer a supine and meek spectator of the assault on human dignity inflicted in the form of custodial violence. The degree of public outrage sometimes manifests itself in an uncontrollable fury leading to attacks on the very guardians of the law. This, of course, also cannot be condoned as the civil society is as much expected to confirm to the rule of law, as the police, to enforce it. But the police cannot fail to take note of it. While it’s a well recognized fact that the powers vested with the police are immense, it is equally true that the power inherent in the role of the police can have a positive side as well. In wielding power what is required is high standards of competence and undying faith in human dignity. Unscrupulous power management is the mother of all evil that bedevils Manual on Human Rights for Police Officers 9