Kohima: The Nagaland Police Headquarters has recently circulated a strongly worded circular asking its officers and personnel to refrain from circulating any operational messages on various social media platforms. This warning comes after circulating a sensitive message with details of security operations in Mobile Vehicle check-posts (MVCP) in different districts. The message, accompanied by the case of different protests in different countries and spread in several WhatsApp groups, has created concerns from within the police department as to other such leaks in the future.
In the notice released on Wednesday, Nagaland Police said such undesirable information, if leaked by an unauthorized person is dangerous to the police operations because it puts off the criminals and weakens the effectiveness of the operations. The notice further explained that the restricted and operational messages, which include details on MVCPs and narcotic cases, had been relayed in nonpolice WhatsApp groups and other forms of social media by some of the officers and personnel in the department.
The said notice, for instance, had been taken from the Nagaland Police Chief, who had a clear message that dissemination of confidential and operational information was a clear act of misconduct. They deny their departments’ standard operational procedures, thus putting the involved officials at risk of punishment and/or legal repercussions. The notice also enjoined all unit commanders and senior officers to see that their juniors responsibly treat professional and official communication. Commanders were also given directives to brief their subordinates on security issues and specifically why information should be protected.
It was, therefore, a warning notice for police personnel and the general public. It encouraged citizens to report such confidential messages to its office or the appropriate authority if the error was made deliberately or by mistake. The public is urged not to forward or share them in any of their accounts since it can support criminal activities or hamper police work.
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