As many as 397 police personnel have been appointed as Village Vigilance Police Officers (VVPO) within the limits of Coimbatore District (Rural) Police.
Police personnel of the rank of special sub-inspector, head constable and grade I constable were appointed as VVPOs and they will be in contact with the people assigned to them.
The VVPOs will handle a WhatsApp group which will have as members village administrative officers, village assistants, panchayat presidents, vice presidents, ward members, councillors, teachers, traders and other stakeholders who are in close contact with people.
Coimbatore Rural Superintendent of Police Ara. Arularasu said that the 397 VVPOs were appointed from January 1.
According to him, they will be in-charge of villages and hamlets coming under 218 mother villages in Coimbatore rural.
“Their main duty is grassroots level management of a wide range of issues. The WhatsApp group will even have overhead tank operators and lineman of the area as members. The VVPO for the area will act to resolve basic issues such as power failure or lack of water supply which may otherwise snowball into bigger issues or agitations. VVPOs gain the trust of people when they act timely. In return, they get intelligence on various issues from socially committed people,” he said.
As of now, VVPOs will visit the villages assigned for them twice a week to get familiarised.
Boards displaying the phone number and photo of VVPOs, phone numbers of the inspector, sub-inspector and the police station were installed in the 397 locations.
Inspector General of Police (West Zone) K. Periaiah on Saturday visited some of the villages in Pollachi police sub-division and introduced the VVPOs for the areas to the public. He also handed over stationery article and books to school children.