Police Accountability: Misconduct And Mechanisms
- IJLLR Journal
- Jan 4
- 1 min read
Nikhil Kumar, LL.M. (2025-2026), Central University of South Bihar, Gaya
Dr. Deo Narayan Singh, Assistant Professor, School of Law & Governance, Central University of South Bihar, Gaya
ABSTRACT
Accountability promotes the ideals of democracy and aids in transparency by assuring the justification for the action. Police accountability refers to the action taken by police and manner of action taken. Police accountability covers the range of mechanisms and procedures to prevent abuse of police powers. These include internal mechanisms like legislative framework, executive supervision and hierarchical supervision and external mechanisms include judicial oversight, independent agencies, complaint authorities, human rights organization, along with media and NGOs. Even though there are many police accountability mechanisms yet police misconduct is common and grave concern around the world irrespective of the fact that country is decentralised police model like USA, Canada, UK or India or centralised system like France, the gross misconduct like serious human rights violations, custodial deaths, and police killings are harsh reality. However, independent and autonomous oversight mechanisms and authorities, along with mechanisms like user CCTVS, body cameras, EIS and national level police misconduct database could profoundly enhance the police accountability.
Keywords: Police misconduct, Police Accountability, Accountability mechanisms, Use of Force, Custodial Deaths and Violations of Rights.
