Strengthening People-Friendly Policing Need Of The Hour: DGP

Bhubaneswar: Strengthening police-people friendly policing is one of the most important tasks of the Odisha Police for its effective functioning, said Director General of Police (DGP) Dr RP Sharma.

“Through people-friendly policing, we will have greater transparency and efficiency in our duty with cooperation from the people,” Sharma said while inaugurating the 60^th Senior Police Officers’ Conference of the Odisha Police at Police Bhawan in the state capital here on Tuesday.

Talking about the left wing extremism in Odisha, the DGP said the fight of the State Police against the Maoists is on. “Since the Red Rebels are resorting to violence in the remote and far-flung areas of the state, police has to remain on high alert to effectively deal with them,” he observed.

Sharma also said it is the moral responsibility of the Odisha Police to bring back the youths from the Maoist outfit to the mainstream of society.

The DGP further informed that the conference will deliberate on relevant issues. “One of these issues is capacity building of police stations which, in my opinion, is the most important issue because the police stations are the service delivery points of the entire police organization. We have to enhance their capacities in terms of men, materials and all other aspects,” he added.

Sharma also laid emphasis on setting up of a model police station in each district with a counselling centre for the harassed and tortured women.

Taking note of the large volume of paper work in police stations, he said a decision has been taken to introduce e-filing system in the police stations. “The e-filing system would be introduced at the State Police Headquarters in the first phase after which the system would be put in place in each district police headquarters,” he informed.

Superintendents of Police of all districts, Deputy Commissioners of Police, Commandants of all Armed Police Battalions, Range IGs, DIGs, under-training IPS officers, senior officers of various police establishments as well as the Home Guards, Fire Services and Civil Defence Organisation, State Vigilance, Odisha State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation, Prison Organisation and Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) are participating in the three-day conference which will conclude on March 15.

Chief Secretary, Development Commissioner, Additional Chief Secretary, Home and Principal Secretary Finance will interact with the participants during the conference.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik will grace the valedictory session of the Conference on March 15.

The conference will deliberate on professional policing subjects like law and Order, Crime Scenario of the state, Left Wing Extremism (LWE), capacity building of police stations, people-friendly policing, ethical behaviour in policing, crime control measures, critical Incident management, effective use of social media, resource management in Special Armed Police etc.

Besides, issues related to State Vigilance, Home Guards and Fire Services, Prisons Organisation and Odisha Police Housing & Welfare Corporation will also be discussed.

There will be presentations on different subjects by the working groups constituted for the purpose, followed by interactive sessions with delegates to raise issues of general importance and issues pertaining to their respective district/range/battalion.

A consolidated report will be compiled on the actionable points that emerge during the deliberations for appropriate action by the State Police headquarters and the government.

Satyajit Mohanty, Additional Director General (ADG) Provisioning, and Amitabh Thakur, IGP (Law and Order) will act conference secretary and deputy conference secretary.

The Senior Police officers’ conference is an annual exercise undertaken by the State Police headquarters to review, introspect, debate and discuss on professional police subjects with a view to come out with concrete action plan and strategies to handle current and emerging challenges to policing.