Civilians assisting police in managing long queues outside banks and ATMs in Delhi

More than 250 civilians have been assisting police personnel in southwestern range in managing long queues outside banks and ATMs as part of the ‘Police Mitra’ initiative by Delhi Police, which will be formally launched on Saturday.

In the southwestern range, comprising west and southwest districts, 294 civilians, including 49 women, have been deputed outside banks and ATMs which are being thronged by people after the Centre demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

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“West and southwest districts have 166 and 128 ‘Police Mitras’ respectively. The scheme will formally be launched today but they have been helping our staff for the last few days. They help in pacifying people in queues,” said Dependra Pathak, Joint Commissioner of police (Southwest).

The southwest range is the first to roll out the initiative and other districts will follow suit in the next few weeks. Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma had last month issued standing orders to implement the initiative.

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Under the initiative, every police station will have civilian volunteers, whose number will depend on the area, and they will help police in crime prevention and establishing a better public-police interface.

Those with “good social record” will be enrolled. Their job will be to help police in addressing issues like drug addiction, maintaining communal harmony in the area.

The idea was suggested by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Directors General of Police and Inspectors General conference last year where he had stressed that police forces should work on bridging the gap between them and the society.