PINKALURU
Janagraha, a non-profit organisation, known as the centre for citizenship and democracy started the community policing service under the slogan ‘Be the change you want to see.’ The organisation, through collaboration with Bengaluru city police, is trying to create a safe and secure environment for the public. In the programme, people become the caretakers of law and order as much as the police.
The proposal of the Janagraha for creating a community policing service was approved by the Karnataka Home Minister and was launched in June 2013. Initially, seven police stations in Bengaluru –Ashok Nagar, JP Nagar, Banasawadi, Nanabharathi, Madivala, Rajgopalnagar and Yelahanka joined the community policing pact.
Accordingly, the police select people who are called Area Suraksha Mitras (ASM) who collaborate with police officials in maintaining law and order situation in their area. The ASMs are selected by the police constables from each police station. The interested candidates are made to undergo verification and selection process. Those who pass the test are selected as ASMs for two years.
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The ASMs are responsible for informing the police if they encounter any issue which can disrupt the law and order situation, which also includes women’s safety.
The concept of community police is quite popular in the western countries but is comparatively new to India. In fact, most of the times whenever any burning issue has to be addressed, people choose to damage public property. Thus, control by police is not the only way to curb crime. But when there is public participation, there is more awareness and chances of people understanding the importance of being the part of society and maintaining peace will help in achieving the goal effectively.
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The need for such programmes in more than ever as many cases of eve teasing, harassment and rape are being reported. To understand the capacity of the police to handle such situations, one needs to know the number of police on duty. The United Nation’s standards specify that there should be one police personnel per 333 people. But in India, the average ratio is one police officer for 761 people. In Karnataka, there is only one police personnel for 751 people, says a report in the Better India.
Thus many instances of people being helped during problem due to the community policing started by the Janagraha organisation have been reported. 15 more police stations joined the programme in 2015.
Thus especially Bengaluru, the city which is in news for lack of women safety, needs such an initiative. People’s participation in maintaining the law and order situation will surely make the place feel safer.