Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Kurnool Range, B.V. Ramana Kumar launched the community police officer (CPO) initiative in Kadapa on Monday.
Nearly 2,250 civilians volunteered to serve as community police officers in the district and to serve the people by taking up traffic control, reception, night beats, maintenance of records and computers at a place of their choice, depending upon their interest and enthusiasm, the DIG said addressing a meeting on community police system in the RIMS hospital auditorium in Kadapa.
Terming the launch of the CPO set-up on the Mahatma Gandhi death anniversary as a historic occasion, the DIG said several educated persons had volunteered to render services and thereby display their skills and their character. Kadapa district had 3,000 police personnel for three lakh population and the CPO set-up would reduce the work load of policemen, he said.
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Pledge administered
The community policing launched in Chittoor district a year ago was running successfully with 4,500 CPOs, Mr. Ramana Kumar said. The CPOs would wear civil dress with radium stickers on it, he added. The DIG released the CPO logo and administered a pledge to police officials and the CPOs.
The DIG later inaugurated a community police station at Shilparamam Y junction on RIMS hospital road.
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Kadapa Superintendent of Police P.H.D. Ramakrishna said NCC cadets and NSS volunteers took part in such programmes in the past and now CPOs would be partners in policing. It was a voluntary service with no time restrictions and an opportunity for CPOs to serve the people, he said.
DSP of Kadapa Mahila police station Vasudevan, who is the coordinator of the CPO programme, said the move would help in improving the rapport between the police and the people.
Kadapa OSD (Operations) B. Satya Yesubabu, Kadapa DSP E.G. Ashok Kumar, Bharatha Ratna Mahila Mandali president Moole Saraswathi, Brahmakumari Geetha, DSPs, circle inspectors and CPOs wearing blue caps participated in the event.