15 August in Bhagalpur 

In a unique experiment aimed at reviving the faith of the common man in the Police system, Jamui Police has invited applications from common public to head any police station of his or her choice for a day. And to add the delight the senior police officials, is gaining popularity and people are applying to become the station head for a day.

In Naxal hit Jamui district of Bihar, the villagers – particularly the youth, are given the chance to head the police station for a day. The opportunity is given to another person of a different village the next day.

Since the police rules do not permit a general public to take over the duties of the Station House Officer (SHO), this post is called as Jan Adhyaksh. A Jan Adhyaksh can register complaints and can take rounds of the station limits but not entitled to pass orders.

Anybody, who is above 15 years of age with no criminal charges ever filed against him/her, can apply to become a Jan Adhyaksh provided that s/he be a resident of the area under the concerned police station.

Jamui SP Rakesh Rathi said the needs and concerns of citizens should always be integral to the way policing is conceived, managed and delivered. He feels that a radical change in police approach is needed if we want to change the way people experience policing and community safety services on the ground.

Senior officials said that this experiment of community policing will help people understand the problems of the police. The idea is gaining popularity and people are applying to become the station head for a day, they said.

“This is not a bolt-on to existing ways of doing business but something that requires a cultural and operational change. The Bihar police should not do this only for image building,” said a villager Satya Prakash adding that this experiment, if successful, will help the police to tackle the dual challenge of countering Naxal activities and to maintain law and order.

From far away, Nayak looks ridiculous. The main plot about an ordinary news reporter becoming a government official for a day and completely revolutionizing the lives of thousands of people is ludicrous; we all know it would never happen in real life. But the Jamui police thinks otherwise as they have actually brought the functioning of police stations under the ambit of the common villagers.

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Last update : 25-02-2010 11:50

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