In order to ensure that policemen deputed on night duties execute their duties effectively, Dehradun senior superintendent of police Dr Sadanand Date has directed the senior police officers to gather at a place under their jurisdictional limits at midnight and assign duties to the policemen right from there.
Senior police officers of the rank of SP City, SP Rural and circle officers would also attend such nocturnal gatherings and do the same to ensure that the city and its outskirts remain crime-free.
He said that this decision has been taken in view of their experiences of policemen skipping night duties due to the cold. “Taking advantage of the cops not remaining as alert as they should be during the night hours, cases of burglary and theft are rising. The closed houses and the houses located in the desolate places become the easy targets. We are alarmed by the statistics available with us,” he said.
He stressed that suspicious looking persons moving during the night hours should be frisked properly and their addresses should be jotted down. “If necessary, they should be questioned. Persons found creating nuisance in intoxicated state should be challaned under Police Act. Vehicle checking drives should also be launched at important crossings at night. Stringent action would be taken against the persons indulging in drunk driving. Besides, the policemen caught napping during duty hours will be punished,” he warned.
The SP rural has been directed to intensify police patrolling during the night hours on the outskirts of the city, especially those areas which are not much-populated. “The miscreants target them, taking advantage of lax security,” he added. The SP City has been directed to intensify police patrolling, he further said. The police officers have been directed to conduct surprise inspection in their jurisdictional limits from time to time to make the presence of the police effectively felt.
While Kotwali police station officer has been directed to gather at a place around Doon Hospital area and assign duties to their sub-ordinates from there with these places being vulnerable to crimes during the night hours in winter Nehru Colony police station officer has been asked to do the same at Rispana.
Circle officer SK Singh said that following the direction of senior police officers, the station police officers have been directed to intensify patrolling, especially on the outskirts of the city, to stop crimes. “We would not listen to any excuse and come down heavily on the errant policemen found neglecting their duties. Cold conditions would under no circumstances be allowed to be cited as an excuse for lowering the guard ,” he affirmed.