The citizens’ committee meeting, which was organised by the District Police Department, gave a patient hearing to the problems and grievances of the Tumkur citizens.

The programme provided a platform for the citizens and the guardians of law, to have a face-to-face interaction with each other.

IGP (Central Range) T G Doreswamy Nayak invited every sub inspector, belonging to the six police stations, in the City.

He called them on the stage and inquired each one of them with a volley of questions, varying from - to which police station did the sub inspector belong? Since how long was he at the said police station? How many citizens’ committee meetings were called.  And was notice being served on those who did not arrive for the meeting?..... etc.

Low turnout
Infact, the IGP was disappointed with a low turn out of members at the meeting.

Reprimanded
This was enough for him to show the kind of police-public relationship that prevailed in the City. He took the staff members to task, in this regard.

After introducing himself, he sought the introduction of all the members present at the meeting. He listened to each and everybody’s grievances.

Later on, addressing the meeting, the IGP expressed that unless the police department won the confidence and belief of the public, they could never succeed in their work.

Explaining about the role of the citizens’ committee, he said, the committee should be active and fight for the problems of the public.

He explained about the role of the police in solving their problems.

He said, every police station should have citizens’ committees in their jurisdiction, which should have a minimum of 50 members and amongst them, 30 per cent of them should be women members.

Only those people could become the members of the committee, who had genuine concern for the society. Anti-social elements could not become its members, he added.

Media speak
Speaking to media persons, later on, Mr T G Doreswamy Nayak said, though citizens’ committees had been formed by the respective sub-inspectors, however, it will become active, only after the district superintendent of police gave a sanction for it.

All the members should regularly attend the meeting. A lot of problems were expressed at the meeting, faced by the citizens, he said.

The citizens requested the police authorities to close down private finances, curtail prostitution, install signboards where ever required, introduce one-way where ever the traffic flow was thick, bars should be closed, harassment of public should be stopped, several such problems were presented by the citizens at the meeting.