Smart policing is the need of the hour: Sonowal

Expressing concern over the state of the country's police force, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said smart policing is the need of the hour.

Speaking at a conference of 2nd International Police Expo 2015 here, Sonowal said: "It is a matter of concern that police force of our country is perhaps not fully equipped to handle new age of organisational and conventional crime. So, smart policing is need of the hour."

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rightly approached for the smart policing for the betterment of the existing police system. Police today may have some shortcomings, but there are also ways to remove those flaws," he added.

The event, being held here at Pragati Maidan, will continue till Saturday (May 9). It was inaugurated by Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi.

Highlighting the need for reporting some positive news about police, Sonowal said: "One negative news of police runs for a long time but hundreds of good things never get that attention. Positive work of police should also be highlighted."

"At a conference in Guwahati, Narendra Modi suggested creating a website at each police station and to upload at least one positive story about that police station every week. This exercise should be made mandatory for each and every state in the country," he added.

Sonowal also stressed the problem of long duty hours of policemen and said, "Duty hours of the police are not known to the society. Constant physical and mental stress affects their efficiency. This should be an utmost priority for the police organisation to streamline their duty hours."

The minister released the first issue of Cops Today international magazine at the programme.