The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Community policing is all set to go suburban

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 15, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Community policing is all set to go suburban

P. Oppili

Booths to be set up in St. Thomas Mount area

Work on booths nearing completion
To be manned by constables
Will act as a centre for community interaction

Police asking trouble-makers to sign bonds

CHENNAI: The city police are extending the concept of "community booths" to the suburbs.

According to G.U.G. Sastry, Joint Commissioner of Police, South, work is in progress to establish booths in all 18 police stations in the St. Thomas Mount police district, and the work is nearing completion.

In Peerkankaranai, beyond Tambaram, residents themselves have offered to provide a small house to be used as a community booth, he said.

The booths will act as a centre for community interaction with the police and serve nearby residential localities. Local residents can approach personnel manning the booths with law and order problems. In Virugambakkam in the city, residents have even joined the men in uniform on night patrols.

In the suburbs, a constable will man the community booth. Mr. Sastry said apart from problems directly related to the police, they also would try to help the members of public in solving civic issues.

In the city, each community booth is manned by three personnel, Mr. Sastry said. Depending upon availability of manpower, more police will be posted in the booths in the suburbs, he said.

The St. Thomas Mount district police are also reviving the system of bringing to book persons who indulge in hooliganism in their jurisdiction.

After identifying those who commit petty offences, the police will make them sign a bond of Rs. 5,000 with the assurance that they will not commit such an offence in a particular area.

Their movements will be constantly monitored and if they violate the conditions, they have to pay a fine equalling the bond amount, failing which they will be imprisoned, Mr. Sastry said.

Twenty-five persons have already signed the bond in the St. Thomas Mount police district, Mr. Sastry added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu