To maintain law and order, police beat system most important: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday stressed upon the importance of a police beat system, saying it was the most important and a powerful tool to maintain law and order effectively.

Shah was speaking after launching Chandigarh Police's e-BEAT system and Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) here.

Under the system, Chandigarh residents will be able to dial a single number, '112', for all emergency services.

At the outset Shah, who was here to chair the 29thmeeting of the Northern Zonal Council, lauded the initiative of the Chandigarh administration.

"Sometimes small experiments take place in small corners of the country which later on give birth to big successes," he said.

"As a former home minister of a state and now as the Union home minister, I have been saying that beat system should be strengthened and given importance," he added.

Shah said some newly recruited IPS officers may not know about the importance of the beat system, but it was the most important tool to maintain law and order effectively.

"May be we are from old school of thought but till the time beat system is not active, law and order cannot be in good shape," he said.

Shah said a police beat system has information about various problems in the area but rued that it is "slowly fading away".

He said Chandigarh has not only tried to keep the beat system going, but also gave it a modern touch while equipping it with technological aids.

"Now, there is a need to give the police an image makeover and this can be done when we accept technology. Gone are the days when police were identified as a 'lathi' wielding force which talked to citizens in a harsh and angry tone," said Shah.

As far as connecting police stations with computers and linking them with offices of SP, Commissioner's office goes, a lot of progress has happened in this field in our country, he said.

Advisor to UT Administrator, Manoj Parida too spoke on the occasion and lauded the role played by the traffic police.

"Chandigarh has a population of 12 lakh, but the number of vehicles including two wheeler is 15 lakh, which is the main cause of pollution. It also leads to traffic congestion but our traffic police has great reputation of managing it effectively," said Parida.