The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Natarajan seeks attitudinal change among police personnel

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 11, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Natarajan seeks attitudinal change among police personnel

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JUNE 10. The City Police Commissioner, K. Natarajan, today said that policemen were specifically told to be courteous to the public and warned that the department would punish those personnel who harassed complainants and motorists.

"The punishment includes suspension," Mr. Natarajan told presspersons at his first press meet after assuming office as the Commissioner on May 29. He said that there were several reports and complaints about the harassment by personnel on duty when the public visit police stations to lodge complaints.

Further, he had come to know that traffic policemen were harassing motorists under the pretext of checking documents. "We will take serious action against those policemen about whom we receive complaints," the Commissioner said.

He said that it was very important to bring about an attitudinal change among the personnel on duty at the police stations. Training towards this end would soon commence in association with a professional agency.

Police personnel from all the police stations would be made to attend the programme, he said.

Search on for burglar

Mr. Natarajan said the police were searching for a burglar who had struck in at least two places in the city recently. In the past one week, major burglaries were reported in Aminjikarai, T. Nagar, Tiruvanmiyur and Alwarpet. "We will not rest till we nab the culprit and recover the stolen jewels and hand them over to the owners," he said.

The suspect was involved in 13 house-breaks in the city since 1999. Though they were yet to establish the identity of the suspect, teams were sent to neighbouring States to co-ordinate with the police there. The Commissioner said he was frequently interacting with officers investigating the burglaries and monitoring the progress.

Checks to be intensified

The Commissioner said that vigil during night would be intensified. There will be more number of personnel as part of `visible policing'. He said that the night beat constable would be educated on the importance of his role and stated that there should be no scope for slackness.

In addition to the usual night patrols, there will be surprise checks by the senior officers, including him, he said. His department will take steps to make sure that the public have peace of mind when they leave their houses.

He said he decided to hold grievance-redressal meetings everyday between noon and 2 p.m. The representations would be forwarded to respective Deputy Commissioners and action would be taken on them in "three days."

Details regarding the contact number of petitioners would also be retained at his office and enquiries would be made with them to find out whether they were satisfied with the follow-up action taken by the police.

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