E-Paper
Technology-driven reforms to help modernise policing: Bhagwant Mann
Underlining the need for police reforms, chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said that it is the need of the hour to facilitate the people by redressing their complaints at their doorsteps through online service.
Underlining the need for police reforms, chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said that it is the need of the hour to facilitate the people by redressing their complaints at their doorsteps through online service.
Mann said that in the changing scenario, the challenges for the force have increased manifold due to which comprehensive reforms in its functioning is needed.
Mann also backed the department and said that apart from discharging its core duty of maintaining law and order, the Punjab Police has always safeguarded the interests of the country and its people.
CM’s appreciation has come at time when the state police is at the receiving end on the issue of escape of radical Khalistani leader and “Warris Punjab De” chief Amritpal Singh.
Addressing the gathering, after launching a Chat Bot number 9517795178 for reporting missing, found and abused children and inaugurating a stakeholder workshop on “working together for rights of women and children” here at Indian School of Business (ISB), the CM said that the Punjab Police has a glorious legacy of serving the country by making countless sacrifices.
Mann said that apart from keeping a strict eye over law and order, the police force needs to focus on community policing also. He said that police reforms will aim to transform the values, culture, policies and practices of police organisations so that police can perform their duties with respect for democratic values, human rights and the rule of law. Bhagwant Mann said that government also aims to improve how the police deals with other security concerns.
The CM said that the entire justice delivery system needed to be reformed from its roots and the police is one of the core concern areas of this system which required some radical changes immediately.
Mann said that as today is the era of science and technology so major thrust must be laid on redressal of grievances to the people at their doorsteps through online facilities.
Citing the example of Sangrur parliament constituency, the CM said that the state government has started installation of state-of-the-art CCTVs to keep a hawk eye on every nook and corner of the district. He announced that this will be replicated across the state so as to effectively monitor law and order situation thereby reducing this burden from police. Mann described CCTVs as “third eye of the police”, adding that this will ensure quick action to counter any untoward incident.
He expressed concern that human trafficking is posing a serious threat not only for police but for entire society. Mann said that this menace needs to be dealt with heavy hands for which the out of the box idea of police to launch Chat Bot is a welcome step. Describing the Chat bot initiative as a new dawn for reforming the police system, he said that a developing country like India needs ultra modern tools such as Whatsapp Chatbot and other online modules to resolve public issues quickly.
