“SPECIAL FRIENDS OF POLICE” (SFP) SCHEME

1.      INTRODUCTION:

          This scheme is aimed at police empowerment through community empowerment.  The broad outlines of this scheme is to create a mechanism whereby the police would work in unison with the people by being in tune with them, understanding them and belonging to them and drawing strength from them.  This method would act as a force multiplier besides enabling free flow of information / intelligence, project better image of the police, enable the police to be sensitized to public views on various issues and thereby metamorphosis people themselves as ambassadors for the goodwill of the police.  In order to ensure the effective functioning of this scheme, it has been decided to bring about a major attitudinal change within the force by drawing open ideas from similar community policing initiatives in other states.

2.    OBJECTIVES:

1.               To enable members of the public without regard to caste, creed or status, to establish rapport with police force. It is a method of people empowerment.

2.             To promote crime awareness among the people and enable prevention of crimes.

3.             To promote a sense of civic responsibilities and duties among the public by means of educating the general public.

4.             To learn as well as to teach human values.

5.             To act as a force multiplier by involving the SFP in community policing. With the existing low police-public ratio, Police along with SFP can deter and prevent crimes.

6.             To evolve a mechanism to get feedback.

7.             To channelise local resources at short notice to meet any eventuality.

8.             To make available a potential pool of manpower resources with positive attitudes to the police to meet the requirement of police.

9.             To increase transparency and openness in the police.

10.          SFP can make steps towards policing with consent instead of the present image of policing with contempt.

11.           To educate the members of the public about their role and responsibility in policing.

3.    NOMINATIONS & ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS:

Every SFP shall be a citizen and resident of the PS jurisdiction.  He/She shall not be involved in any criminal or civil case.  No educational qualification is prescribed, but he/she should be literate.  He/She should not be actively involved in politics.  They shall not be below 18 years.   

4.  APPOINTMENT OF SFP:

          An appeal to public to apply is made through local press in vernacular language by District SSP calling persons interested to become SFP.  The persons who are interested shall obtain the application form (Annexure-II) from the Police Stations.  The same should be mandatorily verified by SP(Special Branch) and local police to satisfy that they do not have any criminal background and they are not actively involved in politics and enjoy good rapport and reputation in their localities.  After that, the District SSP should forward the list for approval of the Director General of Police, Puducherry.  Unless instructed otherwise, the District SSP incharge of the District shall be the authority to appoint SFP.

5.      DURATION AND METHOD OF APPOINTMENT:

         The duration of appointment of SFP shall be one year.  The calendar year will be taken into consideration.  However, a review will be made after six months on the basis of a report from the Supdt. of Police concerned about the suitability of a SFP for continuing further as such.  Every year, fresh Applications will be called in the month of December and new / renewal card will be issued before 15^th January every year.

A register shall be kept in the Office of the District SSP incharge of the district in which Police Station-wise lists of SFP shall be maintained.

          After appointment, every SFP shall –

1.               Receive an Identity Card duly attested and signed by the District SSP. In the Identity Card, the number of the SFP (PS – wise) shall be mentioned. (Annexure–A).

2.             Receive a booklet enumerating his / her duties and responsibilities as a SFP.

6.      DUTIES OF SFP:

The duties of the SFP will include the following:

1.           The SFP should pay particular attention to the maintenance of communal harmony in his area.  He should collect timely intelligence about communal, caste and other group clashes and apprise the local Police concerned of the same.

2.         The SFP is duty bound to inform the SP / Police Station concerned in case he notices any gathering of anti-social elements, pick-pockets, illicit distillers, gambling den or movement of persons at odd hours under suspicious circumstances in the area.

3.         The SFP, being the resident of the area should inform the Supdt. of Police about persons who are keeping illegal fire arms,  country-made bombs, explosives or other lethal weapons, so that prompt house search could be taken and contraband article seized.

4.         The SFP should help the Police in introducing various crime prevention measures that could be adopted by the residents of his locality like better locking system for homes, double locking system for vehicles, magic-eye for doors, door chains, Neighbourhood Watch Scheme, etc.

5.         The SFP should come forward to help or assist the police whenever called by the local Police Officer concerned.  He will assist Local Police during law and order arrangements of religious and other processions on any other important occasion. 

6.         The SFP should perform Traffic duties like regulation of traffic, traffic announcements, organizing Traffic Awareness Meetings, etc.

7.         The SFP shall perform all specific duties assigned to him by the SHO of the concerned Police Station or his superior officers.

In specific terms, the ‘ SPECIAL FRIENDS OF POLICE ’ may assist the Police in the following : –

1.               Performing evening patrolling

2.             Performing night patrolling

3.             Checking cinema halls for eve-teasers, black marketers, etc.

4.             Checking arrack shops for anti-social elements

5.             Checking at border check posts

6.             Performing traffic duties

7.             Making traffic announcements at busy junctions

8.             Persuading shop-keepers to remove encroachments in busy market areas

9.             Visiting Scenes of Crime for assistance

10.          Visiting Scenes of accidents for assistance

11.           Performing law & order duties during important events, festivals, etc.

12.          Organizing meetings of residents / house-wives for education in crime prevention

13.          Verifying domestic and other types of servants

14.          Verifying visitors to the locality, such as, cobblers, vendors, etc,

15.          Organizing peace committee meetings in trouble-prone areas

16.          Organizing meetings of residents for briefing by Traffic Education Cell

17.          Organizing meetings of women for briefing by the AWPS.

18.          Promoting communal harmony in their locality

19.          Contributing towards improvement of Police – Public relations.

20.        Making suggestions for improvement in Police functioning and image.

Caution :

          The ‘SPECIAL FRIENDS OF POLICE’ should avoid taking undue advantage of his appointment as such mentioning ‘SPECIAL FRIENDS OF POLICE’ in Visiting Cards, Name Plates, Name Boards and private vehicles, etc., should be avoided.  Violation of this will lead to cancellation of SFP Card.

Meetings of SFP:

The SHOs concerned should have meetings with their SFP every fortnight.  The monthly meetings shall be held by the SDPOs and bi-monthly meetings shall be held by the District SSP.  The above meetings should be held in consultation with the SFP considering their convenience.  These meetings should be convened for better interaction and exchange of ideas / suggestions.  

7. PERFORMANCE OF ASSESSMENT & PERIODICAL REVIEW OF APPOINTMENTS:

The performance of the SFP shall be assessed by SDPOs through Annual Performance Reports and submitted to the District SSP in January every year.  The proforma of the Annual Performance Report is given in Annexure – B.

          In addition, in order to keep a track of the duties performed by the SFP in each Police Station, a list of ‘SPECIAL FRIENDS OF POLICE’ of its jurisdiction shall be maintained.  Further, in respect of each SFP, a separate file will be maintained in which the concerned SFP shall make entries in his own hand about the duties he / she performs from time to time.  These files will be personally maintained by the SHO and entries will be made by the SFP in the presence of the SHO himself. The proforma in which those files will be maintained is given in Annexure – C.

          In Traffic Police Station, a consolidated list of all SFP will be maintained along with similar files in respect of such SFP. Entries in these files will be made by the SFP whenever they perform traffic duties.  This will be kept under the personal custody of Inspector / Traffic and entries shall be made in his presence.

SFP, who have taken keen interest and do some outstanding work, shall be recommended by the SP concerned or the District SSP for Commendation Certificates and Cash Rewards.  

          Similarly, SFP who do not show any interest in the work or who are involved in criminal cases subsequently or who misuses their position as SFP shall be removed by the appointing authority and they should immediately surrender the ID card issued to them.