Taking cues from the Mumbai Police force, Delhi Police Commissioner Rakesh Asthana has told all 15 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) that he wants to introduce a three-shift duty system and segregate law and order in the next two months.
Asthana, who recently commanded the force, held his first crime review meeting on Saturday via video-conferencing. In a one-and-a-half hour meeting, he was first apprised of the crime statistics of Delhi over the years by Special CP (Crime) Praveer Ranjan, after which six DCPs from crime-prone areas gave him an update.
A senior police officer said, “After his briefing, Asthana said that in the next two months, he wants to impose three-shift duty in Delhi and segregate law and order.”
After discussions with Special CP (Police Headquarters and General Administration) Sivagami Sundari Nanda, the police chief formed a committee of four Special CPs – headed by Special CP (Vigilance) Balaji Srivastava – and asked them to classify police stations into five categories. Asked for – Order law and intensive police stations, crime intensive police stations, communally sensitive police stations, VIP intensive police stations and logistics intensive police stations.
“The committee of three special CPs (law and order), along with the special CPs (crime), will divide the police stations and submit their report by August 20. Asthana informed us that he will appoint SHOs according to the category of police stations,” said an official.
Asthana also informed the officials that there have been several cases of policemen misbehaving with the victim or the complainant. “He asked them to treat the complainants, victims and those coming to the police stations with humility and empathy by giving them time and attention. He also asked them to stop taking undue advantage from the street vendors and instead, made them the eyes and ears of the force,” the official said.
After the meeting, he interacted with all the SHOs and their staff to apprise them of the priorities of the force and share their plans for their welfare in the days to come.
“He told them that an ‘open house’ would be organized every Friday for the members of the force to meet them if they have any problem or complaint. Ensuring that no police personnel face any difficulty in the actual discharge of duty, he said that it is the job of the superiors to look after the force as a mentor and not to blame them unnecessarily. ,” said a Delhi Police spokesperson.
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