“Serve with integrity, investigate scientifically and remain connected with people,” IGP Satyajit Nayak tells new Sub-Inspectors
By IGP Satyajit Nayak
Cuttack/Odisha, Oct 4 : Newly appointed Sub-Inspectors should make integrity, impartiality, scientific investigation, innovation and public interaction the guiding principles of their policing careers, Inspector General of Police, Central Range, Cuttack, Dr. Satyajit Nayak said while interacting with the new recruits at the IG office here. Congratulating them on their appointment, Dr. Nayak said their selection marked only the beginning of their professional journey.
“The uniform gives you authority, but your conduct will earn you respect. Your rank gives you responsibility, but your performance will give you credibility,” he said. He urged the officers to look beyond routine law-and-order duties and focus on protecting citizens, preventing crime, detecting offences and strengthening public confidence.
As Sub-Inspectors are often among the first police officers to interact with victims and complainants, their conduct, sensitivity and professionalism would have a direct bearing on public perception of the police, he said. He called for preventive policing through better knowledge of beats and communities, identification of repeat offenders and organised crime networks, monitoring of drug routes and vulnerable groups, and greater attention to emerging cybercrime patterns and sensitive locations.
Emphasising scientific and technology-enabled investigation, the IGP asked the officers to make effective and lawful use of platforms such as CCTNS, NATGRID, Samanvay and e-Sakshya to identify crime patterns, establish inter-jurisdictional linkages and preserve digital evidence. “Technology cannot replace legal knowledge. It must strengthen it,” he said.
He stressed the importance of forensic evidence, DNA, fingerprints, CCTV footage, digital evidence, financial trails and cyber-forensics in modern investigations and cautioned officers against ignoring seemingly minor evidence. He also emphasised time-bound investigation, noting that delays could result in the loss of evidence, unavailability of witnesses and erosion of public confidence. Officers should plan investigations from the outset and maintain clear case diaries documenting investigative steps and evidence.
Dr. Nayak also asked the new officers to understand the strengths of their personnel, allocate duties judiciously and lead by example. Physical fitness, stress management and a healthy balance between professional responsibilities and personal well-being were equally important, he said.
Stressing legal knowledge, human rights and discipline, Dr. Nayak asked the officers to remain familiar with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, besides relevant special laws. “Police authority is not personal authority. The powers you exercise are powers entrusted to you by law,” he said.
He advised the officers to exercise restraint on social media, protect confidential information and respect citizens’ privacy. Professional credibility, he said, should be built through competence, integrity and performance rather than publicity.
Giving them a simple investigation principle — “Reach, Secure, Record, Analyse, Investigate, Corroborate and Complete” — Dr. Nayak said modern policing required officers to be investigators, technologists, communicators and leaders while remaining committed public servants.
“The uniform gives you authority; integrity gives you credibility; competence gives you confidence; and service gives you respect,” he said, urging the new Sub-Inspectors to serve with integrity, investigate with intelligence, lead with courage and remain connected with the people.
