Police not neglecting rural people, says Jalandhar SSP(Rural)
##ad_1##JALANDHAR: The Punjab Police are implementing the ‘community policing’ concept in a ##img_1##big way in order to make the police more people-friendly. Any law-abiding citizen, whether living in urban or rural areas, need not be scared of police. We are not neglecting rural people, says Jalandhar SSP (Rural) Ashish Chaudhury in an exclusive interview with R.M.S. Atwal.
Here’s excerpts from the interview:
Q. People in the rural areas are scared of police and many crimes go unreported. Don’t you think police need to be more people-friendly?
Ans: I do not subscribe to the view that the people are actually scared of coming to the police and are not reporting their problems. As far improving police-public relations is concerned, the Punjab Police is always trying to motive its entire staff; they are being sensitized to the needs of the people and various programmes have been started in this regard. First, there are general meetings with senior officers. Each and every DSP has been told to make a community project and Suvidha centres have been established at the sub-division level where people can go and get required police services in a non-police environment. So, the contact between the police and public is increasing. The Punjab Police is implementing the ‘community policing’ concept in a big way.
Q. Since you deal with rural areas, don’t you think the rural people are still neglected when it comes to police assistance?
Ans: The police do visit rural areas. It’s not the case that the rural people are neglected outright. As far patrolling is concerned, you see, the expanse of rural areas is very large. We can’t have as frequent patrolling as is being done in cities where you have more number of personnel and vehicles in small areas. In rural areas it’s the reverse... You can’t expect a police picket in every village and practically it’s not possible. But we do have regular visits where Sarpanches and other respectable village elders are contacted. So, you can’t say rural people are being neglected. I do visit rural areas from time to time along with other senior officers... This month on 28th I will be visiting the Phillaur sub-division and meeting people there. The entire population has been invited.
Q. Most of the passports are reported to be delayed because of police inquiries. Your comments?
Ans: It’s not most of the cases. Normally, according to the schedule, a passport inquiry has to go back (to passport office) within 21 days. Our officers do monitor it regularly but there was a certain issue with the local Passport Officer where he had given me certain numbers of files which are missing, for which police verification has not come. There are cases even as old as the Year 2000. We have taken up all those cases now. I have given 20 days time to my staff to clear the pending cases and make all the data up-to-date. So, in a way we have speeded up the police inquiry process.
##ad_2##Q. Don’t you think there is a need to bring in more awareness among the public?
Ans: No, I don’t think there is a lack of awareness among the public. The people in the Doaba belt are quite aware of their rights and duties. Passport is a very big thing in this NRI region and people know to whom and where to contact. We have passport section over here where an officer is there to help the public in passport police enquiries. He is bound to help the public...A proposal is under consideration to set up a passport police enquiry counter at the local passport office.
Q. What about non-registration of FIRs at police stations?
Ans: Since the time I have taken up the charge (as Rural SSP), the number of registrations has increased because I have instructed down the line that nobody should come to me that his FIR is not registered. The police are bound to register a case in a cognizable offence. In the non-cognizable offence only a DDR (Daily Diary Report) is written and a copy of a complaint is given to the complainant so that he can pursue the case in the court.
Q. Any message for the rural public?
Ans: My message is very simple and clear. The police are there at their service; at their beck and call. When I joined, I had already given my number (99153 11444) through the media so that anybody can contact me in case things are not sorted out at the local level...As a step towards e-governance, we are in the process of developing a website too. In the meanwhile, anybody can reach me at ssp.jalrural@gmail.com. FIRs are already registered on computers and are no more handwritten. The police are there for your help and not to be scared of, especially in this 21th Century.
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