Madurai
Going back to old school of policing, Madurai City police have created Ward Officers for all 100 wards of the city in the rank of Sub-Inspectors of Police to have thorough knowledge about their area and people, including antisocial elements, to maintain law and order and prevent crimes.
Commissioner of Police, S. Davidson Devasirvatham, said that the select officers would become liaison officers between the police and the people of area.
“They will have periodical meetings with the ward committee members in each street to study their problems and find a solution through the higher officials,” he told the media here on Tuesday.
The city police have already formed a ward committee (with 50 people aged about 30 years and above) and a youth committee (with young people aged between 18 years and 30 years) in each ward.
The Ward Officers will regularly interact with these people and also try to find solutions even for their civic problems through the authorities concerned. Some wards are as small as with 40 streets and some have bigger jurisdiction with 200 streets, he added.
“The old beat system is being revived so that the SIs have a thorough knowledge about their jurisdiction. Each police officer will have the map of the ward and understand the terrain. They would visit schools, colleges, important residents and security guards of the area to get to know every household,” Mr. Davidson said.
With regular interaction with the ward committee members, the police expect to get intelligence inputs on the happenings in their areas. “We will be able to prevent any caste or communal clash in the city,” he added.
Complaints boxes would be installed at various places and the phone numbers of the ward officer would be publicised among the people. The ward officers would visit their wards twice a day and identify the usual dens of antisocial elements, gangsters, rowdy elements and prevent their gatherings.
On sensitive issues, the ward officers would directly alert the Commissioner of Police himself for a prompt action, he said.
The Commissioner said that introduction of five delta teams for patrolling the city had increased visible policing. Many criminal activities like ganja peddling and illegal sale of liquor had been busted in the last few days, he said.