SRINAGAR, SEPT 18: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday handed over appointment letters to 29 newly selected Jammu and Kashmir Police Service (JKPS) officers at Lok Bhavan, Srinagar, telling them that the uniform they are about to wear is not a symbol of power but a responsibility to serve, protect and uphold the dignity and rights of every citizen.
Sinha said the appointment letters embodied the trust and faith of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, describing them not as mere government employment documents but as a call to public service.
He urged the officers to understand that their professional journey would now be defined not by personal achievement but by their ability to protect others, uphold the rule of law and serve society with courage, integrity and compassion.
Congratulating the officers and their families, the Lieutenant Governor said the selection process had tested the candidates’ intelligence, patience, character, discipline and ability to withstand adverse situations.
He said their selection marked the beginning of a new responsibility and called upon them to justify the confidence placed in them by the people.
Sinha also praised the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission for strengthening impartiality, transparency and merit in recruitment, stressing that government employment should be secured through qualifications, hard work and talent rather than recommendations.
Emphasising the significance of the police uniform, Sinha said the badge worn by an officer should never be treated as a symbol of authority over the people. Instead, it should reflect service, responsibility and accountability towards them.
He said the security environment in Jammu and Kashmir was evolving rapidly and the police would face challenges that went beyond conventional terrorism. Virtual platforms, radicalisation and emerging methods of terror financing, including cryptocurrencies and money laundering, were creating new dimensions to the security threat and would require greater professional preparedness.
After completing their mandatory training, the newly appointed officers would have a crucial role in confronting these challenges, Sinha said, describing them as future guardians of peace, dignity and justice who would stand as a protective shield between terrorist forces and ordinary citizens.
The Lieutenant Governor urged the officers to draw inspiration from the experience and sacrifices of the Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel who had served through decades of difficult security conditions.
He said the force represented duty, dedication and sacrifice and asked the new generation of officers to uphold that legacy through their conduct and leadership.
At the same time, Sinha stressed that policing could not be confined to counter-terrorism. Maintaining law and order, protecting citizens’ rights, ensuring social harmony and strengthening the rule of law would remain equally important responsibilities.
He called upon the officers to combine authority with compassion, saying the true test of democracy was the protection of its weakest citizens. Recalling the guiding principle of policing, he told them: “Do not touch the innocent and do not leave the culprit.”
Sinha further urged the officers to choose truth and duty regardless of circumstances, saying the respect commanded by the uniform depended on the honesty, courage and determination of those who wore it.
He also expressed gratitude to the parents and families of the 29 officers, acknowledging their sacrifices and support in helping their children reach the milestone.
The newly selected officers will undergo mandatory police training before assuming their professional responsibilities, marking their formal entry into the Jammu and Kashmir Police leadership cadre at a time when the security and policing landscape continues to evolve.
