Human Resources in Security Sector: An Integrated Model for the 21st Century

The challenge of management of human resources may be the most profound in the security sector in the years ahead given transformations happening globally and enhancement of human potential and opportunities for individual growth. The national security sector extending from the military to private security guards denotes the plethora of skills sets required which vary from that of handling highly sophisticated and lethal missile arsenal, to commandeering large aircraft carriers and submarines to securing public space in metropolitan cities. Selection, training, motivation and incentivizing the force will be a major challenge for the 21st Century. The need of the hour is, therefore, to have an integrated human resource development policy so that lateral skills can be utilized across the three spectrums of defence, paramilitary and police and private security and enhance talent utilization through motivation. It argues that this will lead to effective and economic utilization of manpower with national ownership rather than as a stove piped resource, corresponding savings to the ex-chequer while adding to proficiency of security forces.