The hand that shoots at robbers also feeds stray dogs to ensure peaceful sleep for the chief minister. The training to track thieves also helps trace an item of innerwear for a VIP’s wife’s.

Junior policemen have no option. For, keeping the bosses happy is as important as fighting crime.

“We have to do odd jobs, like carrying groceries to a senior’s house, in addition to policing. If we can’t keep our superiors happy, they will write an adverse comment in our service book, which will affect our career,” says a constable of Karaya police station.

According to a sub-inspector, “a group of 15 policemen is deployed in front of the chief minister’s house on Palm Avenue. Most of them carry biscuits to keep about eight street dogs silent. Otherwise, they will bark throughout the night, disturbing the chief minister.”

The dogs are lucky. Harsher methods were adopted to ensure a good night’s sleep for Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s predecessor in office. “Policemen had to beat a jackal to death outside Jyoti Basu’s residence because its cry was disturbing his sleep,” recalls a senior officer.

An SOS was recently sent to police stations around the New Market area after an item of innerwear went missing from a car belonging to a VIP’s wife. “We had to launch a hunt for the underwear. We managed to satisfy her by recovering the piece of clothing,” says an officer.

An officer-in-charge of Karaya police station used to make an assistant sub-inspector buy vegetables and fish for his family every morning. He even had to carry the bags to the officer-in-charge’s house.

Senior officers admit that the juniors are often made to do odd jobs. “It affects the morale of the force,” says one officer.

Another officer states: “The practice of making subordinates run personal errands has continued even after Independence. Junior policemen do the odd jobs to avoid punishment and delay in promotion or increment.”

An officer of the Lalbazar police headquarters says: “The sufferers will have to come forward. It is difficult for them not to obey their superiors. During training, they are repeatedly told to obey the orders of their superiors. Those who are joining the force now are not ready to continue the practice of running personal errands. As a result, there have been some controversies.”

Two IPS officers were among those caught on the wrong foot. “One of them had beaten up a home guard, who had been asked to polish the officer’s shoes but did not do it properly. The home guard filed a complaint. Another home guard lodged a sexual harassment complaint with the state human rights commission,” adds the officer.