The Tiruchi Range Police has launched ‘Project Shield’ - a unique initiative aimed at combating crimes against women and children and to create safe and violence-free communities for them in the five districts of Tiruchi, Pudukottai, Karur, Perambalur and Ariyalur. The project would be implemented in collaboration with the International Justice Mission and stakeholders working for the welfare of women and children in Tiruchi range.
Ahead of launching the project, the police had analysed five years' data of crimes reported against women and children reported in the five districts and identified 25 to 30 ‘hotspots,’ Deputy Inspector General of Police, Tiruchi Range, Z. Annie Vijaya said on Monday.
The project was launched by Inspector General of Police, Central Zone, H.M. Jayaram with Superintendent of Police of Perambalur, Tiruchi Rural, Ariyalur, Karur and Pudukottai besides field-level police officers taking part.
The law enforcers would involve all the stakeholders - government departments and non-governmental organisations working for the welfare of women and children while executing the project in the five districts. “The Tiruchi Range Police has created a dedicated Facebook account, Twitter and WhatsApp for Project Shield to ascertain feedback and information from the general public regarding the project implementation, their requirements as well as on issues relating to crimes against women and children,” Ms. Annie Vijaya said.
There would be convergence and capacity building programmes through the online mode as part of the project by involving experts for the field workers and police personnel who would be involved prior to finalising an action plan for each district. As part of the project, the police in association with the stakeholders would carry out programmes initially at the chosen hotspot areas to create awareness and sensitise the public to the safety of women and children and in an effort to combat crimes against them. The cooperation of local bodies would also be sought for execution at the grassroot level.
Speedy completion of existing cases, developing a systematic and evidence-based policing to increase the performance of the police in combating crimes against women and children in Tiruchi range, deter the perpetrators and formation of women integrated network groups also form part of the project’s implementation. Besides tracking crimes reported in Tiruchi range, steps would be taken to conduct an end line survey by receiving feedback from the public, police and stakeholders working for welfare of children and women to measure the impact of the project after a few months from each of the five districts.