Bhubaneswar, July 5: Police today sought active participation from the general public to check petty crimes such as theft, snatching and burglaries.
The cops today conducted an interaction with the representatives of 21 residential welfare committees in the city.
At the event, the police advised the participants to install CCTV cameras in their locality, especially at entry and exit points of their colonies. Besides, the police also decided to convene meetings of these committees with the police station concerned every four months to discuss local problems.
The police also sought help from the committees to find out criminals involved in petty crimes.
"Community policing is incomplete without the active participation of people. Their participation would help us prevent crimes. They should inform the police about suspicious activities in their area. We will also engage the local people, who are willing to assist the police as special police officers," said police commissioner R.P. Sharma.
The police also advised the committees to hire security guards from registered agencies.
On the other hand, the committee members demanded the police to charge those indulging in petty crimes with stringent sections of the Indian Penal Code.
"In most of the cases, petty criminals get bail easily and continue doing such offences. Hence, we urge the police to arrest them under stringent sections," said Dillip Sahu, secretary of the Sailashree Vihar Residential Welfare Committee.
The committee members also asked for financial help from the police for installation of CCTVs at their colonies. "A good quality CCTV camera costs around Rs 10,000, and it is not possible for us to install these cameras at our expenses. It would be good if the police lends us financial support," said a committee member.
The committee members also demanded intensive night patrolling in the localities to prevent crime.
"In most cases, night patrolling is poor. Intensive patrolling by the police can prevent petty crimes," said Manasi Satpathy, secretary of the Rasulgarh Residential Welfare Committee.
