Cops' out-of-the-box ideas

Picking a leaf out of the corporate style of functioning, Delhi Police officers have been asked to submit "idea of the week" on a regular basis.

Picking a leaf out of the corporate style of functioning, Delhi Police officers have been asked to submit "idea of the week" on a regular basis.

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The officers have to submit one fresh idea on how to keep crime in check in the city in their weekly law and order meeting.

The law and order meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and above level officer but any other officer can give his idea to Commissioner of Police or any other senior officer.

"The fear of crime should reduce from the common man's mind and for that we need to think out of the box. Every one of us needs to know how to prevent crime and we have to implement new ideas," Ranjit Narayan, special commissioner of police (crime) said.

A senior police officer said various new ideas have come up in the meeting and some of them have been implemented and have proven to be successful too.

"To catch proclaimed offenders, evaluation of Station House Officers (SHOs) and revival of picket checking are some ideas that have been implemented after being discussed in the law and order meeting. There are new IPS officers who have been posted in the city and they all have fresh ideas," said a senior police officer requesting anonymity.

"Policing has changed over the years and we need to listen to new officers who have fresh ideas," the officer further said.

The idea to evaluate the SHOs was given by one of the new IPS officers. The idea was appreciated by senior officers and was implemented too.As part of this exercise to evaluate the SHOs, the Delhi Police have prepared a proforma which contains remarks from the deputy commissioner of police of the concerned district, joint commissioner of police of the concerned range and of commissioner of police. If an SHO has failed to perform his duty for five months, necessary action would be taken against him. "The new CP is open to fresh ideas and officers of any level can meet him directly or go to Special CP (crime) to discuss his idea," the officer further said.

Not just that, Delhi Police has recently ordered the revival of sustained police action under Section 174 (a) of the Indian Penal Code. The Section states that any proclaimed offender (PO) who does not attend court hearings can face up to seven years of imprisonment.