Aiming a Crime-free City, Kolkata Police Launches 'Neighbourhood Watch' Programme Involving Locals

Kolkata Police on Wednesday launched a project called ‘Neighbourhood Watch’, involving participation of locals, with an aim to create crime-free neighbourhoods and provide residents with a sense of security.

The inauguration programme for the pilot project was held on Wednesday at Behala Police Station, with Commissioner of Kolkata Police, Vineet Kumar Goyal, presiding over the event.

Speaking to News18, Vineet Goyal said, “It [the project] is about involvement of local community for keeping the neighbourhood safe. Some people have volunteered to patrol the neighbourhood in the night to support police keep watch on movement of suspicious people. They will immediately inform the PS and Lal Bazar Control Room, who will then take action.”

The aim is to involve local people to work for safety of their own locality, he said.

Key Features of Neighbourhood Watch project:

1. Community Policing Wing to oversee the programme involving common citizens, with a view to making localities free of illegal and unlawful acts.

2. Common citizens shall be encouraged to come forward and act as the eyes and ears of the police, keep vigil in their localities, and inform the police of any doubtful or objectionable activities.

3. Local youths shall be requested to patrol their areas as per the suggestions of the local police administration.

4. To continue the programme, patrol parties will be divided into groups. Local OCs (Officers-in-Charge) will provide them with route charts and guide them from time to time.

5. As a pilot project, the programme will start from the Behala police station area in Kolkata.

6. To equip the volunteers for the job, a rudimentary level of training will be imparted to them at Bodyguard Lines, under the supervision of the AC, PTS.

DOs and DON’Ts:

1. Before starting patrol, the groups will inform the local police station.

2. They will follow the routes given by the local police station.

3. If they come upon any doubtful or suspicious person or event, they will immediately inform the local police station and the OC, Control Room, Lal Bazar. Under no circumstances will the patrolling party take any action against anyone. They may either detain a suspect at the spot to prevent escape, or escort the person to the police station.

4. They must maintain civility at all times.

5. They will request people not to make unnecessary noise, and will follow the same.

6. On duty police patrol teams will monitor their activities and guide them according to the situation.

Police will be providing vests, raincoats, torches, and whistles to the volunteers to facilitate the patrols. The phone numbers of Behala police station, Lal Bazar Control Room, Traffic Control Room, and a copy of the DOs and DON’Ts will also be handed to each volunteer.

Sources say if this program is successful then it might be implemented in other areas too.

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