Sports stars line up for police jobs

GURGAON: Khaki remains the main attraction for Haryana sportspersons who have achieved distinction at the national and international level.
The perception is substantiated by their growing inclination to join the state police.
DGP R S Dalal said that the growing interest of the sportspersons could prompt an increase in the players' quota for police jobs.
"In Haryana, joining the police force is a sought-after profession. Sportspersons are not interested in joining the sports department," Dalal said.
Presently, the state police have 12 deputy superintendents of police (DSPs) from the sports category. These include boxers Vijender and Jitender Kumar, wrestler Geetika Jhakar, cricketer Joginder Sharma and mountaineer Mamta Kharab.
The last appointments in this category were done in the later half of 2010.
"We can't take more DSPs. Some of the sportspersons could be appointed as inspectors and sub-inspectors," Dalal said. He added, "Inducting these celebrities has done a lot of good to the department as cops are enthused to see sportspersons among themselves."