LAHORE: The inspector general of police, Punjab, has decided to replicate across Punjab the community policing-based pilot project already going on in the Multan region.
The pilot project was started in the Multan region a few months back on the directions of the IG. It was aimed at maintaining law and order and to bridge the trust deficit between the public and police by engaging community. The IG decided to replicate the pilot project across Punjab after it produced positive results in Multan region. The IG issued a letter to all field officers to adopt the same SOP regarding the project.
Under the pilot project in Multan region, the mosques were made a main source of community centre according to the Islamic traditions. All officers of Multan region, including the RPO, CPO and SDPOs gather in Jamia mosques and have constant and close liaison with the people during Friday congregations and exchange views with them on various topics, including the community’s role in prevention of crime. It aims to improve the law and order with the maximum engagement of community.
To strengthen the community policing in Multan region, various steps were taken in this regard, including establishment of Whatsapp groups of students and prayer leaders, installation of dedicated telephone lines to get information with secrecy of caller, ensure the availability of contact numbers of two notables from each village, revival of dispute resolution committees, public conventions, display of cell numbers of police officers at prominent places, establishment of community rooms in police stations, engagement of community through schools and colleges, holding of open courts and dedicated vehicles to respond to 15 calls.
Due to the model, the number of the complaints lodged to the RPO office reduced by 34 per cent which was the indication regarding the maintenance of trust of the people in police stations.
The provincial police chief directed the field officers to replicate the Multan model in it true spirit in their so that the trust of public in police could be restored for permanent elimination of crime from the province.
(The News)
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