CHENNAI: Around 25 students volunteers and 10 police personnel will be involved in a community policing initiative organised by International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PVCV) and US Consulate.
The pilot project called CLAPP or Community Led Action Programme with Police that was to be implemented in Chennai and Hyderabad was launched in the city on Tuesday. This programme is aimed at establishing a multi-sectoral holistic response for violence against women, especially students and children. It also hopes to change public perception and trust in police. From police to government officials, service providers and students — the initiative will rope in people from different sectors to carry a 4-phase pilot in the Nungambakkam area first.
Ten student volunteers from MOP Vaishnav College for Women and 15 students from Loyola College (eight girls, seven boys) will be working alongside police personnel to take up complaints and issues in these areas.
“Through this group’s work, we will scale up,” says Prasanna Gettu, founder and CEO of PCVC. The initiative is co-organised and funded by the US Consulate in Chennai, and the Minister Counsel for Public Affairs, US Consulate (New Delhi) Craig L Dicker handed over the training kits to the student volunteers at MOP Vaishnav College campus on the same day.
Speaking on the community policing model, Prasanna said that although this was not a new initiative implemented to reduce instances of sexual crime against women and children, it had always been led by police. “The community involvement has been lacking, but I hope this programme would give impetus to cooperative problem-solving of everyday instances like bus stop harassment or harassment by even a teacher at college etc,” she explained.
Shyamala Devi, additional deputy commissioner of Police who was present as a guest, stated the need for students to help dispel the stigma that working with the police is unfavourable. “This society is as much yours to safeguard as it is ours,” she said.
The organisation will also establish an Advisory Committee comprising lawyers, civil society members, and a representative from US Consulate to help form policy for the CLAPP projects.