Chandigarh: In a bid to check criminal activities in the state, Punjab police today launched an initiative whereby police personnel will patrol designated areas on foot to keep a watch on anti-social elements. According to a senior police official, the aim of this initiative is to reduce incidence of crime by increasing the presence of police in vulnerable locations.   

The initiative would ensure safety and security of women, children and senior citizens, and also build a bridge for people-friendly policing, the official said. "Foot patrolling has been launched in all districts of the state today," Punjab Director General of Police (Law & Order) H S Dhillon said.  

Foot patrolling involves beat patrolling on foot in a designated area which will be identified on the basis of criminal incidences, vulnerability, footfall in markets, strategic installations, educational, financial and religious institutions.   It will also involve intelligence gathering and detection of crime, an official said.   Ludhiana Police Commissioner R N Dhoke said foot patrol officers would do a round of their designated areas round the clock every day in eight-hour shifts depending on the type of beat area.   

"In each beat area, foot-patrol officers in a buddy pair will be assigned to engage in intensive policing. The average length of a beat area will be around three km," he said. The age limit for these foot-patrol officers, who has to be physically fit, has been fixed at 45 years. They will be wearing jungle boots, specially designed arm-band and will be equipped with weapons, baton, handcuffs and wireless sets, Dhoke said.   

"These officers shall have basic technical knowledge, experience of four years in service with field units and knowledge of the area," he said, adding each buddy pair would be given an android-based tablet with a specially designed mobile application to monitor and supervise their performance.   

Regular impact analysis of this initiative will also be done, the Ludhiana police commissioner said. PTI