Kathmandu, July 14

The cases of resignation from police service have increased at an alarming rate in recent years.

According to Nepal Police, as many as 1,411 personnel, including senior officers, quit during the 11 months of this fiscal.

SSP Subodh Ghimire, who was due for a promotion and still had two years to be eligible for pension, tendered his resignation, saying he wanted to give quality time to his family in the USA. One SSP, four DSPs, 20 inspectors, 111 SIs, 346 ASIs, 529 head constables and 400 constables quit during the 11 months of the current fiscal. They also include police officers with permanent residency status in foreign countries.

A senior official at the Nepal Police Headquarters said, five persons resigned from police service on an average daily.

NP recorded 954 resignations in 2011/2012, 1,464 in 2012/2013, 1,021 in 2013/2014 and 1,200 so far this fiscal year 2014-2015. Problems at home, low remuneration, better opportunities in foreign countries as security guards and handsome payment by UN peacekeeping missions, among others, are some of the reasons cited by police personnel for quitting.

“Many junior police personnel do not want to continue working after being eligible for pension and getting the opportunity to participate in UN peacekeeping missions. Such resignation and new recruitment to fill the vacancy continue in all state organs,” reasoned the official, adding that the security agency was committed to doing the needful to retain employees.

A majority of police personnel opt to go abroad for foreign employment, especially to work as security guards, after quitting Nepal Police. Gulf and and war-torn countries have become their favoured destination.

Sudden resignation of personnel cause huge loss to the government as a lot of time and money is invested in them. The official informed that the country invests more than Rs 800,000 on a single cop from the day s/he is recruited till s/he completes training.