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::Crime Stopper Cell::
Information is the backbone of
better and modern policing. No Police setup can function
effectively without an information collection system. The
prevention and detection of crime mainly depends upon the
information that Police collects from the public. Many good
citizens are willing to share information about crime and
criminals. But, for fear of being exposed or further questioning
by police, they do not come forward and on most occasions they
prefer to withhold the information with themselves.
It was in this situation, a people friendly mechanism called
?Crime Stopper Cell? was constituted in Thiruvananthapuram City
in the year 1995 by the then City Police Commissioner Shri:
Arunkumar Sinha IPS. The City Police is always firmly resolved
to give the citizens an efficient, transparent and responsive
apparatus for the prompt and timely enforcement of law to
redress their woes and agonies. Apart from open registration of
cases, the focus was mainly on prevention of crimes in society
by sharpening the edges of such a people friendly initiate. The
main aims and objectives of this mechanism are to encourage good
citizens to share information about crimes and criminals over
phone without revealing their identity and thereby help police
to curb the crimes in the society.
The System consists a toll-free telephone line and Computer
aided Desk having been manned by an HC/PC round the Clock to
provide assistance to the public in stress. As desired by the
higher-ups, the way of its functioning has been well clearly
spelled out to public many a time or where ever possible, as
such that anyone can share any information with police without
exposing their whereabouts. Any Citizens who comes to know
anybody to commit a crime or having information that a wanted
criminal is camping at a hide-out or having any other
information which is of use to the police from the law & order
point of view etc, are heartily encouraged to give such
information to the Crime Stopper Cell keeping informant?s name
and address concealed. The person on duty at Crime Stopper Cell
who attends such calls would at once register the complaint and
the informant will be informed of the action taken by police.
For this purpose, a computer-generated code will be given to the
informant on receiving a message from him. When such informants
call later citing the code given, the substance of the action
taken would be orally communicated to him then and there. A
suitable computer program has also been developed for storing or
transmitting the information and for maintaining a permanent
track of upkeeping records etc. As soon as the information is
received in the Crime Stopper Cell, its content is keyed in
Computer and the print-out thereon is forwarded to the
appropriate field Officer as decided by the Commissioner of
Police for verification. Similar facility as above is now
incorporated with Police Web Portal also for enabling the public
to register online complaints with the Police anonymously and
the same bridges the barrier between the Police and Public. The
system has very much helped in the detection of so many cases
including grave crimes. Since the Crime Stopper Cell in Tvpm
City has meanwhile proved its credibility and reliability as
above, there had been an increase of about 50 per cent in the
number of complaints received. The calls received are of in
different kind, which mostly relates to antisocials, goondas,
drugg-peddlers, ferrying of illicit liquor, abuse over mobile
phones, traffic offenders etc. The calls on child abuse and
sexual assault are also received in the Cell. As an emergency
help-line, the Cell extends its hands of help to all who need
it. In short, the Crime Stopper Cell is highly helpful to the
residents in the City to redress their grief without appearing
in Police Stations in person. Finally, the Crime Stopper Cell
also functions as a Grievance Cell which aims at protecting the
rights of public and to curb the commissioning of crimes. This
really helps the rehabilitation and social integration of
unwanted elements in our community. Above all it has made a
break-through for the concept of community policing which aims
to insulate the public from the threat of criminal
harassment.
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