Now, foot patrolling in city

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 16

To make security effective, foot patrolling was launched in the city today for the first time. Commissioner of Police (CP) RN Dhoke flagged off the first batch of foot-patrol officers at the Police Lines here. The batch comprises 20 officers who have been deployed in different areas across the city.

The foot-patrol officers have been imparted training and orientation to familiarise them with the assigned task and areas. They have been given android-based tablets with especially designed mobile application to monitor and supervise their performance.

These officers have undergone a seven-day orientation programme at their designated foot patrol locations. They will spend an initial period of two weeks in and around their beat with an experienced officer.

Foot patrolling is expected to help prevent crime in a better way. Speaking on the occasion, Dhoke said foot patrolling would make the city safer than earlier. “The overall goal is to create a significant reduction in crime by increasing the presence of police in high-crime and vulnerable locations, ensuring safety and security of women, child and senior citizens and eventually building a bridge for people-friendly policing,” he stated.

He said the overall objective of the project was to patrol the entire ‘beat area’ on foot to instil confidence among the citizens.

Foot-patrol officers would establish rapport with shopkeepers and residents and gather intelligence. They would ensure regular public meetings with the residents to solve their issues pertaining to policing.

The objective of the project is also to gather data regarding all residents, identify suspects, criminals, keep a watch on criminals staying in that area and check any suspicious movement or activities of visitors. The officers would check and verify suspicious vehicles, persons and criminals through available database, he stated. 

Under the project, the foot-patrol officers would keep a watch on traffic congestion and encroachments, and use resources to remove these.

The project is also aimed at  instilling confidence in women, children and senior citizens who stay alone. The officers will have regular interaction with them. They will also keep a watch on all educational institutions, financial establishments, religious places, landmark buildings and vital installations, he stated. 

The officers will patrol their designated areas every day for about 8 hours in shifts, he said. 

Besides, all patrol officers will be provided with criminal intelligence on their designated area by the SHO and Special Branch unit.

Their task

Commissioner of Police RN Dhoke said the overall objective of the project was to patrol the entire ‘beat area’ on foot to instil confidence among the citizens. Foot-patrol officers would establish rapport with shopkeepers and residents. They would ensure regular public meetings with the residents to solve their issues pertaining to policing. The officers will patrol their designated areas every day for about 8 hours in shifts.

Deployment areas

For the first batch, four foot-patrol officers have been deployed in the Sarabha Nagar market and the Malhar Road area. Two each have been deployed in the Ghumar Mandi Market area, Jawahar Camp, Jagraon Bridge-Civil Hospital area and Chawani Mohalla. Four each have been deployed on the Dandi Swami road (Hambran road) and the Railway Station road.

Physically fit officers

These patrol officers are well-qualified. They have an experience of four years in service with field units, knowledge of the local areas and are physically fit with a maximum age limit of 45 years to ensure intensive efforts for the assignment. They will be wearing jungle boots amd specially designed arm bands. The officers have been equipped with weapons, batons, handcuffs and wireless sets.