The Bengaluru City Police has taken a significant stride towards community-oriented policing with the official launch of its Friends of Police (FoP) programme. This initiative aims to foster greater public participation in maintaining law and order, with a special focus on involving the youth of the city.
Massive Outreach to Educational Institutions
In a sweeping awareness campaign, the police have already connected with a vast network of schools and colleges. The numbers are substantial: nearly 1,150 police officers have interacted with approximately 2.11 lakh students from 1,250 educational institutions. The programme was formally introduced on Monday, with special sessions held across the city on December 1, observed as Crime Prevention Month.
Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru, Seemant Kumar Singh, emphasised the core objective in an official statement. He stated that the initiative is designed to encourage active participation in preventing critical crimes like drug abuse, trafficking, cyber offences, and crimes against women and children. He described it as a pivotal step towards refining public security mechanisms through community involvement.
Key Focus Areas and Digital Pledge
During the interactive sessions, officers addressed several pressing safety issues. The key topics discussed included:
- Strengthened measures for women's safety.
- Operations against narcotics and drug abuse.
- The importance of traffic discipline.
- Prevention of cybercrime.
- Promoting community vigilance.
To formalise the engagement, the police have launched a dedicated FoP website. On this portal, citizens, starting with students, are encouraged to take a pledge while registering themselves as Friends of Police. The website also serves as a resource hub, providing:
- Feedback portals for citizens.
- Links to download essential apps like the Karnataka State Police (KSP) app, Drug Free Karnataka, and the BTP ASTraM app for commuter needs.
- Access to crucial helpline numbers.
Essential Helplines and Future Expansion
The sessions prominently highlighted vital emergency contact numbers for students, ensuring they are aware of where to seek help. These helplines include:
- 112 for the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS).
- 1930 for reporting Cyber Fraud.
- 1933 for the Manas National Narcotics Helpline.
- 1908 for Drug Abuse Reporting.
- 14490 for the Women's Helpline.
- 1098 for the Child Helpline.
The interactions concluded with students being motivated to take the Friends of Police pledge. This pledge commits them to being responsible citizens, remaining vigilant against illegal activities, rejecting drugs, respecting women, and actively contributing to the safety and harmony of Bengaluru.
Looking ahead, the Bengaluru police have plans to extend this initiative beyond the student community to include all citizens. This expansion aims to build a broader, more resilient network of community partners working hand-in-hand with the police force to create a safer urban environment.
