Badal asks police to adopt people-friendly approach

Chandigarh, Apr 26 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked the police administration to make a paradigm shift from the conventional image of policing to people-friendly approach and at the same time ensure safety to all citizens.

The police must maintain law and order and communal harmony in the state, besides instilling a sense of security and belongingness among the general public, Mr Badal said while presiding over a meeting of the top brass of the police administration, including field officers.

He asked the police officers to perform their duty with utmost dedication, sincerity and a sense of commitment to serve the people in the right earnest. He said he would extend full cooperation and support to all the officers and there would be no political interference.

The police must work in an effective manner because the police force is the only agency that ''brings a bad or good name to any government for their deeds or misdeeds,'' he said. He cited the example of Gujarat police where there was so much of law and order than the people, even the girls could move freely without any fear and risk even at midnight.

He asked the Punjab police to bring an attitudinal change in their behaviour to win over the hearts of the people which could only be achieved if the communication gap between the common man and the police administration, could be bridged.

He urged the police force to pay due respect and regard to all irrespective of their position and post in the society.

Outlining the priorities of the government, Mr Badal said the problem of drugs and narcotics trafficking and drug addiction was assuming an alarming situation and it must be curbed with a heavy hand.' He asked the SSPs to evolve an action-oriented strategy in unison with Deputy Commissioners to nab the culprits, who were indulging in this heinous crime to allure the youths to drugs.

He informed that the state health department had recently delegated powers of drug inspectors to the senior medical officers at the district headquarters to effectively check the menace of drug addiction.

''Free hand would be given to all the policemen to discharge their duties in order to check the crime of drug trafficking against humanity which has brought our youth at the brink of disaster,'' he said.

Likewise, he directed the officers to take a tough stand against illegal possessions and ensure that no legal occupant of a property was dispossessed.

He cautioned the officers on third degree treatment while dealing with offenders becuase such an approach at times resulted in custodial deaths, which too was a crime in the eyes of law and society.

UNI