Tamil Nadu - Erode

A tough task is ahead for police

ERODE: State Government’s announcement upgrading Erode to a corporation will have its ramifications in the police department as well, which will soon turn a commissionerate.

The ground works for the commissionerate have just begun, if sources in the police are to be believed.

The areas of focus will be police stations’ jurisdictions, strength of personnel, new departments and policing. The first will the extent of the commissionerate.

Sources say new stations may be included in the commissionerate, which may be Chittode and Perundurai. The latter will be included after the division’s boundaries are redrawn.

At present, Erode town limit encompasses the Town Police Station, Taluk Police Station, Erode North and South police stations, and Karungalpalayam Police Station.

Sources say the jurisdiction of the stations may be redrawn, with some getting bifurcated and new ones created. There is a possibility that the area falling under the commissionerate-to-be may be bigger than the corporation area, and there is precedent to this, as in Chennai.

The change in jurisdiction will depend on the crime rate, pendency of cases and other factors, sources say.

This may also decide the positioning of crime wings in police stations as well. All stations in the proposed commissionerate may not have a separate crime wing.

Sources say the crime wings may be set up at only those stations with high crime rate. At present there is only one crime station in the town.

The setting up of the commissionerate will also usher in more number of personnel. The strength of Armed Reserve personnel will go up drastically, which may be around 1,000 for the city alone.

At present the entire district has only 2,000. The rise in strength may also reflect in stations, with the posting of more personnel for law and order duties.

The coming of commissionerate, which will operate under a new Erode City Police Act, will see the setting up of new departments like the City Crime Branch, Crime Records Bureau, Dog Squad, etc.

This will enable the city police to spot fine violators and offenders, which is at present done at courts.

The commissioner-to-be will also be empowered to book regular offenders under Goondas Act.

There will be a new commissioner in the rank of a deputy inspector general of police, as against the current superintendent of police.

The commissioner will in all probability be assisted by three deputy commissioners in the rank of superintendents of police – two for law and order and another for traffic.

There will be another superintendent of police for Erode rural, which will be created after carving out areas for the commissionerate.

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