India, Nov. 10 -- Haryana director general of police (DGP) OP Singh on Sunday called for a "cultural overhaul" within the force, saying that the true measure of police strength lies not in its power to penalise, but in its ability to earn respect.

"Good behaviour is not a training issue, it's a cultural one," Singh said during his visit to Gurugram on Sunday. "We will enforce zero tolerance because, most of the time, bad behaviour is used as a weapon to insult or humiliate. That cannot continue in a professional force."

He said the Haryana Police must now move from "command-and-control" policing to conversation-and-cooperation policing - where every interaction with the public reinforces dignity and trust. "As the sword arm of the state...