We expect safer public places from new Karnataka government, say retired cops

The retired police officers opine that the new government should focus on increasing the strength of the police force, effective initiatives to curb crime, especially against women and children.

BENGALURU: As the Congress-JDS coalition government is set to come into power, retired police officers opine that the new government should focus on increasing the strength of the police force, effective initiatives to curb crime, especially against women and children, and bringing in solutions to traffic issues Bengaluru is facing.

Former Director General & Inspector General of Police (DG & IGP) S T Ramesh feels that bringing in police reforms can change many things for the better. Making public places safer, easing the traffic on city roads and cutting the nexus between police and real estate mafia, according to him, should be the priority of the government, as far as the police department is concerned.

“More policemen should be recruited and proper training should be given to them. Vacancies should be filled up and women police should be recruited in large numbers. Also, policemen should be allowed to work in a place for at least two years without political interference. These reforms will definitely reflect in the work the police deliver,” Ramesh said.

“Making our public places safer, especially for women and children, should be another priority for the government. Places like schools and colleges, malls, roads should be made safer. Even in rural areas, law and order should be maintained and capable policemen with proven track record should be posted to achieve this,” he added.

Managing traffic is all about engineering, enforcement and educating. Focus should be on improving public transportation, widening of roads, implementation of Intelligent Traffic Management (ITM) system and speedy completion of Namma Metro project. “Government should make usage of public transportation more comfortable. Stress should be given to last mile connectivity to encourage people to use public transportation. Also, the nexus between policemen and real estate mafia must see an end”.

R Srikumar, former DG & IGP, opines that crime investigation should be done without any interference from vested interests. “Law and order should be maintained without fear or favour. Also, administration should be streamlined and officers should not be transferred before a specified period”.

“The new government should immediately implement the Justice J S Verma Committee report. Even the Ugrappa Committee on preventing sexual violence against women and children has recommended stringent laws. That has to be accepted and implemented. The one stop crisis centres at district centres is a good initiative but we have heard complaints that they are not functioning properly. The government should resolve it. Besides, Fast Track Courts should be set up to hear cases of violence against women and children,” said K S Vimala of Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com