Guwahati: The Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Dergaon has transformed into a national hub for law enforcement training. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed the shift on September 2. Officers from Manipur, Goa, and Assam now sharpen their skills at the facility.
Sarma spoke after watching the passing-out parade for Deputy Superintendents of Police and communications staff. He praised the recruits for their performance. "I had the opportunity to witness the passing-out parade," Sarma said.
The academy now hosts a two-day State-Level Conference of Superintendents of Police. Sarma plans to stay on-site during the talks. Leadership will hammer out plans to improve the Assam Police force. High-priority topics include protecting women and children. Officials will also map out the state fight against drug trafficking.
Updated at 2nd September 2026 at 10:06pm
The passing-out parade included 403 recruits, specifically 32 Deputy Superintendents of Police and 371 communications constables. Training for these new officers covered cybercrime and digital fraud. Several other states have already submitted proposals to send their own personnel to the Dergaon facility for training.
Sarma signaled a shift toward a harder line on crime. He stated, Assam Police would adopt a stricter approach, particularly in cases involving drug trafficking and crimes against women and children. This conference marks the first time the Chief Minister has met with Senior Superintendents of Police since his government started its second term in May.
Updated at 3rd September 2026 at 2:00am
Sarma also noted that security forces recently blocked 22 people trying to sneak across the international border. He posted on social media that the group was stopped right at the line and warned that future attempts at illegal entry would meet the same result.
During the academy visit, the Chief Minister handed out awards to recruits who stood out during their training. He expects the ongoing brainstorming sessions with senior police leadership to yield concrete, positive moves to sharpen force operations.
Updated at 3rd September 2026 at 9:52pm
Sarma set bold targets for the force, aiming to hike the conviction rate from its current 29.3 percent to 35 percent. To get there, the government is fast-tracking charge sheets and pushing for 5,000 promotions within the ranks. The state plans to hire 15,000 to 20,000 new officers to plug staffing gaps. Two new battalions are in the works: one focused on disaster management and another to guard Oil India and ONGC assets.
Housing shortages remain a thorn in the side of the force, with only 10,000 homes available for 90,000 personnel. The government intends to triple that inventory to 30,000 units. To sharpen the drug war, an Anti-Narcotics Task Force will stand up within the month. This unit will hunt traffickers, seize their assets, and crack down on economic crimes, with the state pushing for tougher two-year sentences for dealers.
Looking beyond the uniform, Sarma flagged a crisis in medical education for local students, noting that Assam residents landed only 548 out of roughly 2,000 available medical seats. He called for a national education movement to improve those odds. Meanwhile, major infrastructure is moving forward, with tenders issued for the Gohpur-Numligarh tunnel, a project slated to become the second-longest road tunnel in the world.
Police leadership will regroup for the next session in Bongaigaon this February. Decisions handed down at the Dergaon conference are slated for implementation within the next six months.
Comments