Saturday, Dec 28, 2002
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New Delhi
By Prashant Pandey
TWO INNOVATIVE schemes of pro-active policing would come into operation in the Capital in the New Year. And the police hope that the twin objective of trapping criminals and making police people-friendly would be met through these. While Area Policing Plan is aimed at beating criminals with an element of surprise and ensure people's participation, the voluntary registration of private security agencies with the police is aimed at imparting skills to a big chunk of useful manpower. The APP is an answer to the perennial problem of lack of manpower vis-a-vis population increase the police face. "The idea is that if the police could not be everywhere, every time, it could be anywhere, any time,'' explains Deependra Pathak, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (West). His district has been the theatre of the experiment since September, and the results have been encouraging. The concept would be extended to the entire Capital. The Station House Officer supervises the deployment of police teams, picket checks and other patrol teams with an emphasis on sudden, but strategic change in their place and time. "It had come to light during interrogation of criminals that they had prior information about police presence and they avoid those routes,'' Mr. Pathak said. Decentralising policing and involving people are other aspects of the plan. The complainants would be heard at the division level and necessary action taken accordingly. "This would also give an insight into the trends of complaints and criminal activities in the area.'' Special emphasis on crimes against women has been laid in the scheme. Legal awareness workshops and self-defence technique courses in schools and colleges at the division level were conducted and followed up. The voluntary registration of private security agencies is the first step towards the long felt need to harness manpower that could help policing. Sources point out that the suggestion was also the top priority of the Delhi police top brass at a meeting with intelligence agencies in October. It has always been felt that security agencies could be utilised as an auxiliary force to augment the general security scenario in the Capital. On the other hand, unorganised existence of such agencies have led to cases where the security guards themselves were found involved in the crime, or has taken refuge as security guards after committing the crime. Successful implementation of these schemes would have to be the focus of the Delhi police now. "The essence of the area policing would be ingenuity and initiative,'' said Mr. Pathak. Some innovations, like deploying groups of plainclothes policemen to check daytime chain snatchings, have already been tried out with effective results. Holding frequent public meetings, door-to- door contacts and regular interaction were done to educate people about the plan. This needs to be sustained in the districts and replicated in the Capital. However, the exact modalities - like conditions the agency would need to fulfil to get registered - are yet to be worked out. The Crime Branch, which is also the nodal body for inter-state coordination, would be the supervising body. The police hope that people would hire registered security agencies on account of better trust in them. This, in turn, would mean increased business for such agencies, thereby giving a fillip to voluntary registration. "Residents' Welfare Associations have often asked us as to which agency could be hired reliably. Once the scheme is in place, we could offer them many reliable options,'' said an officer.
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