VIJAYAWADA: Not just as an enforcement agency, the city police department now wants to be seen as a catalyst of reformation. In a novel move, the police, with its ‘reformation of social dropouts’ scheme, has decided to rehabilitate habitual offenders, particularly those suspected to be blade batch members, and the homeless. The job-oriented training will be aimed at making them fit for employment in the automobile industry and other sectors. The police came up with the idea after studying in detail the nature of crimes in the city.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP-I) Ch Vijaya Rao, explaining how it will be implemented, said active participation of NGOs would be required. The identified men will have to undergo physical, medical and psychological tests that will determine their strength and weakness, he added. “It will be a holistic approach. Our focus will also be on those youths who are homeless and without a family. The counsellors will try and change their approach towards the society.”
“Anyone who wants to enrol or supports the programme is welcome. As of now, all stakeholders have expressed their willingness to be part of it,” the DCP said.
Stating that the authorities are looking forward to making ‘social dropouts’ useful to the society, Vijaya Rao said the problem needed to be addressed urgently as today’s youngsters are more prone to getting addicted to vices and anti-social activities.”It’s the duty of the police to help and transform misguided persons to turn a new leaf in their life.”