The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : A pro-active policing move in Tiruchi rural limits Law & order

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A pro-active policing move in Tiruchi rural limits Law & order

Vigilance committees with public as members to be formed at police stations for improving efficiency, writes
R. Rajaram

— Photo: R. Ashok

Foolproof: Government Railway Police personnel checking the baggage of a passenger in Tiruchi Junction on Friday.

Through forming of vigilance committees at every police station in Tiruchi Rural limits, the law enforcers intend to widen their information network as also forge closer relationship with the public.

By involving the community through the vigilance committees, the police aim at receiving timely alerts on suspicious movements of people and objects.

The latest move on the part of the police comes in the wake of the deadly terror strikes in Bangalore and Ahmedabad.

The enhanced security would continue till Independence Day.

The vigilance committees mooted by the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) K. Vijaykumar will be of help to the police department to avert possible law and order problems, say police authorities. As per the plan, every police station will have eight vigilance committees each constituting 50 locals of various communities and different religious faiths. The Tiruchi Rural district has five sub divisions encompassing 28 police stations.

The station house officer of the respective police stations would interact with the committee members once in a fortnight to maintain rapport with the general public.

Public support and involvement is very crucial to the police in the maintenance of law and order. The committee will act as an effective bridge between the police and public, says the Superintendent of Police, Tiruchi Rural A. Kaliyamurthy.

It is the locals who will have better knowledge about the movement of any suspicious elements or a “foreigner” in their respective area and the activities taking place there. Timely information and crucial inputs given by them would be of great use to the police in prevention of any possible untoward incidents as well as in the investigation of case, say the authorities.

The police officers of Tiruchi Rural limits have already been given a briefing about the modalities of the functioning of the proposed vigilance committees.

Only those with no criminal record and people with good character and conduct who would not misuse their privilege of membership in the committee would be chosen, the authorities said.

Public cooperation would definitely result in better performance of the police, says Mr. Kaliyamurthy adding that the formation of vigilance committees was a “pro-active” policing move aimed at producing results in the long run.

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