Over 250 people joined hands with police personnel in
managing long queues, waiting outside banks and ATMs to get their demonetised
Rs.500/1000 currency notes, as part of Delhi Police’s ‘Police Mitra’ initiative
launched on Saturday by Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma.

The civilians–mainly farmers, housewives, self-employed
individuals, jhuggi dwellers, social workers, retired officials, students,
advocates, ex-servicemen–came forward to help police in managing crowd in the
southwestern range.

Varma hailed ‘Police Mitras’ for accepting this additional
responsibility of assisting Delhi Police in various police duties like crime
prevention, crowd management, traffic management, safety of women, children and
senior citizens etc.

He also appreciated them for their proactive role in
assisting police, in the last few days, during the ongoing demonetisation
facilitation arrangements at banks, ATMs, post offices and petrol pumps.

In the southwestern range, comprising west and southwest
districts, 294 civilians including 49 women, have been deputed outside banks
and ATMs which are being thronged by people after the Centre demonetised Rs 500
and Rs 1000 currency notes.

“West and southwest districts have 166 and 128 ‘Police
Mitras’ respectively. The scheme was formally launched on Saturday but they have been
helping our staff for the last few days.

They helped in pacifying people in queues,” Joint
Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Dependra Pathak said.

The Southwest range is the first to roll out the initiative
which other districts are to follow in the next few weeks. Delhi Police
Commissioner had last month issued standing orders to implement the initiative.

Under the initiative, every police station will have
civilian volunteers, whose number will depend on the area, and they will help
police in crime prevention and establishing a better public-police interface.

Those with “good social record” will be enrolled.

Their job will be to help police in addressing issues like
drug addiction, maintaining communal harmony in the area.

The idea was suggested by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at
the Directors General of Police and Inspectors General conference last year
where he had stressed that police forces should work on bridging the gap
between them and the society.