Inspectors’ presence at Police stations reduced complaints

Speaking to DTNext, the Commissioner said that the number of complaints received in a day at all police stations in the city has come down to 300 from 350.

“The 50 people must have been repeated complainants, who had to come for the second or third time to register the sample complaint due to non-availability of the inspectors. I have been monitoring the system almost every day and am personally satisfied with the response,” he said.

The system was introduced on June 5 and inspectors were asked to be present at the station for at least one hour each in the morning and evening. If they had to be outside on a different duty, they had to make a sub-inspector in-charge for receiving complaints. Depending on the locality of the stations and the duties, the station house officer was given the liberty to decide on the hours to address public grievances.

When DTNext visited a couple of stations, there was an officer to meet public visiting the station. “The public response has been a mixed bag. Some complainants are hundred per cent satisfied and some are just 20 per cent satisfied. It’s all depending on the nature of the complaints.

We can’t provide them solution for all their problems, but we want to make the system better and satisfying,” said the Commissioner.

Thangaraj, inspector (crime) attached to K K Nagar police station said people have become aware of the timings when the inspector would be available at the station. “It has been mandatory that station house officer should be present at designated hours and ensure that the complainant gets Community Service Register (CSR) receipt. From then on, it becomes the responsibility of the official concerned to address their grievance. It definitely makes the officers more responsible and accountable,” said the inspector.