Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has called upon the police force to intelligently make use of technology in a sensible manner, to leverage technology as an instrument of peace- as well as a force multiplier.
He has mentioned that social media can tremendously empower the police in fostering police-community relationship.
It can assist the police in nurturing trust between the police and the people while also bringing communications between them to new heights. However, Minister Singh cautions that this use of social media by security personnel has to be done in a controlled and disciplined manner.
While community policing should be the guiding principle of police forces, the prime focus should be given to building relationships. There is then a need for the police to work hard every day to earn that level of trust and respect which helps them in bridging the gap between the police and the public.
In stating that police force should act in close association with the community, the Union Home Minister opined that community policing system should be institutionalised in the police force across the country in an effort to bridge the gap between the law enforcing agencies and the public.
The efficacy of any police force lies in its relationship and engagement with the local community.
The rise of the internet and social media has completely changed the way policing was carried out within the country.
To sum, the theme of this year’s conclave is “Smart Connect”. The two day conclave will discuss and come out with concrete recommendations and guidelines for policy making with regard to community policing as an effective tool to combat radicalization, human trafficking, Left Wing Extremist issues and enhancing coastal security.
It will also focus on SMART initiatives in community policing and community policing as a core policing strategy.
Image from Flying Cloud– CC BY 2.0