The Great Cleanup: How Golcha Plans to Scrub Decades of Dirt from Delhi Police

For decades, Delhi Police operated like a rusty machine—functional on paper, chaotic in reality. The force had grown accustomed to transfer dramas, patronage appointments, and a system where merit often took a backseat to connections.

The First Overhaul

2021 marked the beginning of change. Under Commissioner Rakesh Asthana, Delhi Police witnessed its first major structural overhaul. This wasn't just another bureaucratic reshuffle—it was the force's first real encounter with professional optimization. Yet, like many ambitious reforms, it remained largely on paper.

The structures were promising but lacked the formal framework to operate with true transparency and professionalism. Sources close to the reforms describe them as "significant but incomplete"—they touched the surface but failed to clean up the deep-rooted systemic mess.

Sanjay Arora's Formalization Attempt

Commissioner Sanjay Arora took a different approach. His administration focused on bridging the trust deficit and tightening administrative gaps through formalization. The effort showed genuine promise, creating visible improvements in transparency. While systemic transparency improved marginally, actual efficiency remained elusive.

A New Promise

When Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha issued his new guidelines on transfer postings and administrative operations on 8th November, skeptics wondered: "Is this just another cosmetic exercise. The answer appears to be No. Golcha's approach goes beyond the typical rearrangement of deck chairs. His reforms target the very DNA of how Delhi Police operates, with three revolutionary aspects that could transform the force from within.

Setting the Bar Higher

The new guidelines have introduced stringent merit-based criteria that could end the era of patronage appointments with two screening committees headed by Special CP:

1-Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs): Face an even tougher 70% benchmark(Screening Commitee-1) 

2-Station House Officers (SHOs): Must score 60% in interviews to make the select list(decided by Screening Commitee-2)

3-Tainted officers: Automatically excluded from eligible lists

Beyond Scores: The Holistic Approach

SHO appointments now consider:

1-Specialized training and expertise

2-Natural aptitude for leadership

3-Relevant field experience

4- Clean service record

This multi-dimensional evaluation promises to end the lottery system of key postings and ensure the right officer lands in the right position.

Strategic Restructure

The guideline has re-distributed district units of Delhi Police into three categories: frontline(Metro/Railway/ IGIA Police, specialized(EOW/Special Cell/IFSO, and support units(Traffic/Security/Battalion.

This segregation, combined with flexible tenure systems for personnel from Constables to Sub-Inspectors, creates a framework that's both structured and adaptable.

Ending The Mobility Circus

One of the most significant changes targets the practice of using specialized units as "retirement homes" for district officers:

1-SI-level officers cannot be transferred from districts unless they have adverse records

2-No automatic migration to specialized units after district tenure ends. Patronage appointments in specialized units face systematic barriers. One top source said "This helps secure the operational effectiveness of specialized units which were earlier filled with patronage appointments."

The Elite "Core Group"

The guidelines establish a "Core Group" of operationally excellent officers:

1-5% representation from lower subordinates

2-10% from upper subordinates

3-8-year maximum tenure with retention clauses

HR Division oversight for all appointments

This creates a professional elite within the force—officers selected purely on operational merit.

Training: From Dumping Ground to Professional Hub

Quality Over Convenience

Training units have traditionally been used as convenient postings for officers seeking easier assignments. The new guidelines flip this narrative:

1-Only willing officers can be posted to training units

2-Comprehensive aptitude assessment including teaching skills

3- Three-year reward system allowing training officers to choose their next posting based on preferences.

The End of "Relieving Drama"

Delhi Police has long suffered from what insiders call "relieving drama"—officers avoiding transfers through medical leaves, patronage, or bureaucratic manipulation.

Strict but fair guidelines now govern the process where officers can cancel relieving only in compelling circumstances

1-Requests must go through proper channels to PHQ

2-Maximum 30-day deferral with mandatory review

3-No leave granted from relieving stations

Leave applications must be submitted to new postings

This eliminates the endless cycle of stalling tactics while maintaining necessary flexibility for genuine emergencies.

The Difference

Unlike previous reforms that focused on grand structural changes, Golcha's approach targets the operational DNA of Delhi Police. These guidelines don't just create new boxes on organizational charts—they change how those boxes function. The reforms don't attempt a complete overhaul—they strategically target specific pain points while building flexibility into the system. This approach recognizes that sustainable change comes through evolution and not by hyped revolutions.