The Siliguri Metropolitan Police (SMP) on Tuesday launched a new initiative for residents in and around the city to enable them to reach out to senior officers of the commissionerate for intervention and redress when needed.
Named as “Meet Your Officers,” the initiative will be held across the commissionerate area every month. On a scheduled date, officers of the rank of deputy commissioner of police (DCP) will be present at police stations and traffic guards concerned for an hour to meet people.
“It has been noticed that the general public on many occasions feel the need to meet a senior police officer to redress their grievances. But (to do so) they have to travel long distances. Keeping this in mind, DCPs of the SMP will be available at their respective jurisdictions to hear out public grievances,” said Gaurav Sharma, police commissioner.
In Siliguri, the police commissionerate was sent up in August 2012 and its jurisdiction of 640sqkm covers major parts of Siliguri subdivision and parts of adjoining Jalpaiguri district. There are six police stations, a cyber crime police station and a women’s police station under it.
In all, four DCPs are posted in the commissionerate who will attend these sessions at the police stations and traffic guards.
Sharma, who announced the initiative, also published a visit schedule of the DCPs for the month of March. “DCPs will be available under the stipulated schedule from 5pm to 6pm to interact with people. Similar hearings will also be held on traffic-related issues under the respective traffic guards from 11am to noon by the DCP traffic,” he added.
In every police unit, details of the schedule will be prominently displayed for people to access. The schedule of every subsequent month henceforth will be prepared and displayed beforehand, said sources.
Along with the DCP, assistant commissioners, ICs and OCs will also be present during the interactions.
“This is an extra option, people can still meet the senior officials at their respective offices,” a police officer said.
