Mangaluru : Superintendent of Police K T Balakrishna said that the new beat system in Karnataka would be replicated all over the country as the Central government foresees a beginning in establishing a warm rapport between public and police.

He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony on the beat system in Udupi town police station limits and also interaction with the public.

The police head said that the new beat system is a revolutionary step taken by the state government and would be the smallest unit where pubic contact is developed. The improved version of the existing beat system would involve all police officials right from the lower cadre. Moreover all the staff members are equally accountable for the work assigned. The police should always discharge their duties keeping the public in confidence, Balakrishna reminded.

The new system was initiated on April 1 and practically implemented from April 2. The added advantage of the new system is that the public are also a part of the law and order maintenance system where the responsibilities discharged would not be from one side – rather it is both-sided. The boundaries for beats have been increased into five in each jurisdiction. Every police staff member would be accountable for each transaction of duties held under the system, said the superintendent.

Asserting that the remote areas would be tough terrain for the police to reach to maintain law and order, the police head said that it is the new system that would ease the problems and ensure efficiency in the system even in the remote area. One beat area would cater to the needs of a maximum of 50 people. There are nearly 13 lakh beat committees set up all over the state.

Constables, who are the lower cadre in the Police Department, make for 90% of the force. The innovative system would, however, also make the constables prominent, with their superiors giving them a sense of pride and dignity. The beat committee and the jurisdiction set up would be same for the entire year, but would be changed in the consecutive year.

Social activist Vishu Shetty said that the police should effectively work to maintain peace in society, especially since communal incidents are spreading like wildfire.

In the backdrop of such circumstances, police have a major responsibility and the action taken should not harm either of the parties. It should instead aim at punishing the guilty with unbiased approach, he stressed.

Former CMC president Yuvaraj said that involving the public in the beat system is truly commendable. It is the easiest way to understand the geography of the crime in each jurisdiction with the involvement of the local public, he explained.

Citizens demanded that the police should be soft towards people who approach them and offer the citizens all required information. The public should be treated with dignity and the police should not behave rudely with them, they added.