The Hindu : Karnataka / Belgaum News : `People-Friendly Police' launched

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 21, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Belgaum

`People-Friendly Police' launched

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELGAUM, JULY 20. A unique programme, "People-Friendly Police'', aimed at restoring public faith in the police force, was launched here on Tuesday.

The Additional Director-General of Police, Recruitment and Training, Ajaikumar Singh, said the programme was the first of its kind in the Northern Range consisting of six districts. It involved several non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Mr. Singh said the programme was conceived after a gender-sensitisation programme held in Bangalore four years ago. Several workshops were held for the police personnel from different districts in the run up to the programme. He sad the success of the programme depended on the co-operation of the public.

The policemen should realise that they were citizens first.

The police officer said the police personnel should realise that they had to discharge certain responsibilities. "Power should be used to prevent crime and protect the weak," he said.

M. Laxman, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) (Training), Bangalore, said the "gap" between the people and the police was responsible for the rising crime graph. The police had to work hard to remove a sense of fear and suspicion in the minds of the people.

Om Prakash, IGP, Northern Range, Belgaum, who presided over the function, called for introspection.

He said: "Some of us are not doing what we are supposed to do".

He said the police had been working on the "People-Friendly Police" programme for some time by forming citizens' committee and peace committees in cities and towns.

The programme was essentially a pilot project taken up for the first time in the State with the co-ordination of the UNICEF.

He called for a greater involvement of NGOs. The NGOs could be appointed as moderators in police stations since in several cases involving women facts were not revealed in front of police.

Reacting to a suggestion on increasing the salaries of the policemen and reservation for their children in the institutions offering professional and other courses, Mr. Prakash said there had been a revolution in the department in the past five years with regard to the working conditions. The Superintendent of Police, Sunil Agarwal, who highlighted the aims and objectives of the "People-Friendly Police", said the police did not enjoy public faith.

He said that initially 100 police personnel from the level of constables to sub-inspectors and representatives of NGOs were trained.

Finally, 12 NGOs were selected and entrusted with individual projects besides helping women and children in getting police help whenever required.

The UNICEF Co-ordinator, Brinda Adige, said the programme was on the lines of the Children-Friendly Police started in 1993.

S.K.Sinha, Group Captain, Air Force Station, Belgaum, praised the police for embarking upon a novel programme.

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