VIJAYAWADA: Damodar Gautam Sawang, a 1986 batch IPS officer, took charge as Director General of Police (DGP) at the Police Headquarters in Mangalagiri on Saturday. He reiterated that he will continue the legacy of AP police in motivating other States in terms of facing challenges and wide usage of technology in policing.
The fifth officer to head the AP police after bifurcation of the State, Sawang visited Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanam atop Indrakeeladri along with his family and offered special prayers to Goddess Kanaka Durga before assuming charge.
After taking charge at 12.15 pm, Sawang addressed the media and told creating a safe environment and confidence in police to the vulnerable sections such as women, children and senior citizens, and ensuring corrupt-free policing are his top priorities. The State police faced several challenges in the last five years after bifurcation due to lack of institutional capacity and training centre for the police officials, he said.
He exuded confidence that he will live up to the expectations of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who has asked him to bring transparency and corruption-free policing. “The CM reposed his faith and confidence in me. I shall do my best in providing transparent and accountable police service to the common public. My top priority is to give confidence in police to the vulnerable sections of the society, which include women, children, poor people and senior citizens,” Sawang said.
He underlined the need for having an in-house training unit with all facilities. Explaining his plan of action to ensure accountability in the police department, Sawang said that police have a sophisticated system where the public/complainant can track their complaints filed in the police station through acknowledgment receipt and phone updates through messages.
“We are in a system where the complainant can know the status of his complaint. I’m very confident that all the police officials in the State will strive to achieve the set goals,” he said.In his hour-long interaction with the media, Sawang also dwelt on focus areas such as crime against women, cyber crime, road mishaps, cricket betting, social media, drugs, and welfare of police.
“It’s a fact that our police are one step behind in dealing with cyber crime. But, in the coming days, AP police will enhance their skills and able to crack cyber crime cases giving no scope to fraudsters escape from the law. Soon police officers in the State will get regular weekly off as part of welfare measures. The crime trends also show that there has been an increase in the consumption and availability of drugs in the State and the menace will be curbed,” he said.
Hinting that some IPS officials will be transferred in a couple of weeks, he said, “It’s a must. Giving the charge to efficient and new officers in the department will help achieve our goals.”He scotched the speculations on biased transfers being made in the State after the YSRC came into power in the State, and opined that there is a need to bring reforms and transformation in the police department to achieve transparency and accountability. “There is no favouritism in the department. Officers will be treated based on their abilities and efficiency,” he reiterated. Later, Sawang met Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy at his residence and thanked him for giving the opportunity to serve the State as the DGP.
Sawang, the new DGP
The 1986 batch IPS officer was first posted as Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) at Madanapalle and later he served in Kurnool and Adilabad
He was posted as Warangal SP in 1992 and later as DIG, Home Guards, in 2001. From 2001 to 2008, Sawang served as DIG, Special Intelligence Branch,APSP Battalion and CRPF
In 2009, Sawang headed the UN Police as Commissioner in United Nations Mission in Liberia
In 2012, he returned to AP and held the post of Additional General of Police for Special Force
He worked as Vijayawada Commissioner of Police from 2015 to 2018
He served as Director General of Vigilance and Enforcement (V&E) for 11 months
