After recruiting housewives as undercover detectives, the city police are training schoolchildren to be their eyes and ears and help them fight crime
For school kids who dream of having their very own Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys-like adventures, their moment is finally here. After first turning to housewives to help nab rapists, the police are training school students to be their eyes and ears in the city.
Teams have been formed at every police station to visit schools within their jurisdiction and train students from Std V to IX in the basics of information gathering
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A couple of months ago, mid-day had reported how cops had recruited housewives as undercover detectives to help them catch rapists and molesters (‘Police appoint housewife secret service to nab rapists’, May 25).
This time, the force has trained its eyes on children studying in Std V to IX at schools across the city. Since last week, cops have been visiting schools in their jurisdiction to train students in the basics of information gathering.
Explaining the move, Joint Commissioner of Police (law and order) Deven Bharti told mid-day, “Policing a metropolis like Mumbai without the help of common people is just not possible.
With just 45,000 cops, maintaining law and order and controlling crime in a population of crores is very difficult. Therefore, we want the public to be our eyes and ears, to make our functioning effective and strong.” He added, “Our officials at police station level will visit every school in their jurisdiction and train school kids to be more alert and vigilant.
Similarly, we are also explaining good touch and bad touch. We want school kids to grow into good and responsible citizen.” Separate teams have been made for this purpose at every police station, and each team includes women cops as well. The police have also prepared a video to better explain what they expect from the kids.
Bharti emphasised that they were keen on minimum exposure for the young sleuths, who would only have to pass on information to their teachers or parents. “We don’t want to expose school kids to any danger. They should keep an eye on suspicious activities in their surroundings, and pass on the information to their school teacher or parents, who will inform the police,” he said.
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