Senior cops to supervise law and order in dists

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday directed the Home department to appoint senior police officers in-charge of every district to supervise law and order.

Inaugurating the three-day annual senior police officers’ conference here, he directed the Home department to appoint one officer of the rank of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) to each district. This would be along the lines of a senior IAS officer functioning as nodal secretary of each district.

The senior police officers in-charge should conduct regular inspections and visit the spot during major incidents of crime and law and order problems. This would have a positive effect on the lower-rung staff, he said. With the general elections around the corner, communal elements are trying to create disharmony, especially in coastal areas and Bangalore, Tumkur, Chikmagalur and Hubli-Dharwad, he said, exhorting the police to be vigilant to check such elements.

He said the conviction rate in the State was low, especially in regard to atrocity cases filed by people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Due to the absence of quality investigation and professionalism among police officers, the expected conviction rate is not being achieved. 

CM blames cops

Siddaramaiah blamed “lack of coordination and preparation” among senior police officials for the death of Gulbarga sub-inspector Mallikarjun Bande in an operation to nab a rowdy. “There was not much of a preparation on the part of senior officials before the operation and the immediate response after the incident could have been well coordinated.”

“Police personnel should not develop any kind of relationship with anti-social elements, especially realtors. These people who make a living by grabbing lands should not be allowed to prosper,” he said.

Home Minister  K J George said the department was running short of around 22,000 police personnel. So, the chief minister has granted permission to recruit 8,500 sub-inspectors and constables. 

Eight police canteens will come up in Bangalore, Mandya, Mysore, Kolar, Tumkur and KSRP campus in Koramangala in the City, and help the families of police personnel to avail themselves of various commodities at single place. Samparka, an initiative by the police department to instruct the public about being safe when they are outdoors, will be implemented shortly.