Police Complaints Authority, Karnataka Police bat for better pay, leave benefits for Scene of Crime Officers
Overworked and short-staffed Scene of Crime Officers (SOCOs) in Karnataka may soon see improvements to their service conditions, with both the Karnataka State Police Complaints Authority and the Karnataka Police recommending that the State government extend a 13th-month salary and 15 days of casual leave to the cadre. The push seeks to recognise the demanding nature of their work and address long-standing concerns about staffing shortages and workload pressures.
Call to remove disparity in service benefits
The recommendations follow a representation by Mohan Kumar Danappa, a member of the Karnataka State Police Complaints Authority, to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department. In his submission, he urged the government to address what he described as a disparity in service benefits between SOCOs and regular police personnel.
According to Mr. Danappa, SOCOs attached to the State Forensic Science Laboratory are integral to criminal investigations. They scientifically examine crime scenes and are responsible for the collection, preservation and documentation of critical forensic evidence. Because crimes occur at any time, he noted, these officers remain on duty around the clock, including weekends and public holidays, and carry responsibilities that are comparable to those of police personnel.
Despite these overlapping duties, SOCOs are currently eligible for only 10 days of casual leave annually. In contrast, police officers and personnel receive 15 days of casual leave and the benefit of a 13th-month salary. Mr. Danappa urged the Home Department to extend the same benefits to SOCOs to achieve parity.
Police leadership backs proposal
Acting on the representation, Additional Director-General of Police (Crime and Technical Services) P. Harishekaran forwarded a memorandum to the State government recommending that the proposal be considered favourably. The support from the senior police leadership adds momentum to the proposal at a time when the SOCO cadre faces growing pressure across the State.
Acute shortage of SOCOs across Karnataka
The recommendation comes amid a significant manpower deficit. Department sources indicated that Karnataka requires around 800 SOCOs to adequately meet investigative needs. However, only about 201 officers have been serving since 2020, leaving a large shortfall that has strained teams statewide.
The imbalance is particularly stark in Bengaluru. Just 24 SOCOs are tasked with attending crime scenes across all 11 police divisions in the city. The officers were originally deployed to serve eight divisions, and even after the creation of three additional divisions, staffing levels were not revised upward. Elsewhere in the State, each district reportedly has only three SOCOs, and Bengaluru’s police divisions are staffed with just two officers each—levels that sources say have not kept pace with the rising volume and complexity of cases requiring forensic examination.
Heavy workloads and critical responsibilities
Department sources said SOCOs routinely attend four to five cases a day in each division. These range from unnatural death (UDR) cases and offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act to murders and other heinous crimes. The nature of their work demands immediate response and meticulous handling of crime scenes to prevent contamination, along with scientific documentation that underpins the integrity of criminal investigations and prosecutions.
Given these responsibilities, officials argue that strengthening service conditions for SOCOs is essential not only for staff welfare but also for sustaining the quality of forensic evidence collection that is foundational to the justice process.
Allegations of discrimination and delays
Beyond leave and pay parity, sources alleged that SOCOs face broader discrimination within the department. Unlike regular police personnel, they are reportedly excluded from several service benefits and often experience delays in receiving salaries. The sources cautioned that without corrective measures, the present staffing pattern and benefit structure could undermine the quality and timeliness of crime scene examinations across the State.
What happens next
With the Additional Director-General of Police (Crime and Technical Services) endorsing the proposal and forwarding a memorandum to the government, the matter now awaits a decision from the State authorities. The recommendation seeks to align SOCO entitlements with those of police personnel by introducing a 13th-month salary and increasing casual leave to 15 days annually—measures supporters say would acknowledge the cadre’s around-the-clock service and help stabilize a workforce central to modern policing.
Why it matters
As Karnataka’s police and forensic demands grow more complex, the effectiveness of first-responding forensic teams is increasingly critical. Advocates for reform argue that ensuring equitable benefits for SOCOs would help address attrition risks, ease workload pressures amid chronic understaffing, and safeguard the quality of forensic evidence that courts rely on. The government’s response to the recommendations will be closely watched by law enforcement and forensic communities across the State.
