Punjab to launch rapid police response system in October

Sukhbir says he is concerned about shoddy and unprofessional investigation in crimes

Chandigarh, August 29, 2012: Rapid Rural Police Response System  (RRPRS), one of its own kind of intensive rural patrolling system envisioned by Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal would be operational in the first week of October.

A decision to this effect was taken in a high level meeting to review the progress of decisions taken by the Deputy Chief Minister in Police review meeting last month.

Presiding over the meeting the Punjab Deputy Chief Minister said that this system has to become a model of Rural Policing as it would reduce police response time to distress calls in rural areas by providing state-of-the-art networking of GPS-fitted fully equipped and manned vehicles with the district control rooms. Participating in the meeting Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini said that Punjab Police has already received Rs.52 crore sanctioned by Deputy Chief Minister for RRPRS and Punjab Police has already placed orders for 724 high acceleration motorcycles, computer server, hardware and software for Rural Police Control Room and Punjab Police has tied up the loose ends to make this scheme a grand success.

He said that Punjab Police would divide rural area of Punjab into 724 traditional rural ‘zails’ with 16 to 18 villages under one zail. He said that 1 ASI would be in charge of each zail and he would be responsible for law and order, patrolling of his own zail.

Saini informed that the total system has been networked and rural police control room would be in total integration with police control room and 3 digit telephone number on the pattern of 108 ambulance would be worked out for RRPRS. He said that by first week of October the RRPRS would be launched throughout the state.

Badal said that the main objectives of the Rapid Rural Police Response System include immediate and timely response ofpolice to any situation, especially crime, law & order, women in distress, emergency needs of senior citizens, maintaining high visibility of police force and providing comprehensive and round-the-clock security cover in rural areas by strengthening area security. He said that this wing would be headed by ADGP and sanctioned 724 GPS equipped motorcycles, 289 GPS and CCTV camera equipped MUVs.

Saini informed that specially designed motorcycles on the pattern of Scotland Yard would have warning lights, GPS, Walkie Talkie mobile phones, Siren and mega phone re-chargeable torch, expandable baton, holster and policemen would be wearing reflective jackets. Similarly, MUVs of this force have warning lights, CCTV camera, PA system, GPS, Traffic Cones, Yellow warning tape, dragon light, stretcher, first aid kit, multi-purpose police waist belt, reflective jackets, video cameras, mobile phones and wireless set.

Suggesting separation of law and order wing from investigation wing, Badal said that he was concerned about the shoddy and unprofessional investigation in the crimes being done by the police in the crime cases. He said that police was not focusing on professional crimes as it was busy with the law and order duties. He said that separation of investigation wing, manning this wing with professional police personnel with flair for investigation would increase the successive rate of cracking the crimes besides increasing conviction rate in the courts.

Expressing concern over DSPs and SPs in the districts enjoying long tenures in the same district, he said that long posting of an officer in the same district develops vested interests and asked DGP to start an exercise to shift all DSPs and SPs with total 5 year tenure in a district outside the district to break this nexus. He said that it should be ensured that DSP is not posted in that district throughout his career in which he has completed his 5 year tenure.

Dr. Parmod Kumar, Chairman Governance Reforms Commission, D.S. Bains, Principal Secretary Home, S.K. Sharma, ADGP, Hardeep Singh Dhillon, ADGP, Manvesh Singh Sidhu, Special Principal Secretary to Deputy Chief Minister, Ajay Kumar Mahajan, Special Principal Secretary to Deputy Chief Minister were also present in the meeting.