In the minds of the public, the police are not known to be welcoming. To address this stereotype and empower citizens, the Bengaluru City Police have set up ‘reception desks’ along the lines of private offices.
Personnel manning the desk will help visitors navigate through the maze of filing complaints or get their grievances redressed.
“We’ve always had staff on hand to help people, but are now formalising it. The reception desk will be a physical point that people can turn to. Staff deputed at the desk will not only help people register their grievances, but also enter their details via a visitors registration facility for necessary follow ups,” said a senior police official.
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Keeping records
The police hope that this initiative will help improve their image. All grievances will be recorded in a visitor management system (VMS), a software that has been installed in computers at every police station. This way, we can keep records and follow the progress on a case, the official added.
The grievances, once registered on VMS, will be assigned to an officer. Visitors can also approach senior officers of the rank of ACP/DCP/ Additional Commissioner or the city Police Commissioner if they feel that their concerns were not addressed properly. The sytem also allows citizens to give feedback.
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The initiative aims to reduce the waiting time for people who often have to spend hours at the police station in order to file a complaint or meet with officers.
People can also fix an appointment with the officer they have been assigned by dialling 100. According to a police official, hundreds of people visit stations every day with grievances that are non cognizable. “Others are Good Samaritans who want to give information or have a tip. This initiative will help us reach them effectively,” said a police official.