Anyone walking into Aska Model Police station in Ganjam district of Odisha will definitely be biting nails in surprise. He will be greeted politely before being served tea and smacks. Any stressed person is comforted before registering his complaint. Investigations are carried out in time-bound manner. Cases of crimes against women and children are given priority. It’s not for nothing that Aska has been adjudged the best police station in the country by Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for 2022.
It is not the first time this district is receiving. Ganjam has topped all the parameters and have managed to bag the first spot after another police station in the district, Gangapur, missing it by one rank last year. The transformation has taken place under the leadership of then Superintendent of Police (SP) Ganjam, Mr Brijesh Kumar Rai who has now been posted as DIG, Talcher, Angul, Odisha.
The award was given to Inspector in Charge (IIC) of Aska, Mr Prashanth Kumar Sahoo by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at a conference of District General of Police/Inspector General of Police in New Delhi.
ETHICAL POLICING
There are around 165 parameters upon which police stations and judged and ranked accordingly. In an exclusive interview Mr Prashanth Kumar told Indian Masterminds, “Firstly, our police station has been excelling in the right treatment of the visitors and how our police force make them comfortable even in police station, which normal people mostly avoid visiting. We try to address their queries and complaints and try to give quick redressals. A feedback form upon five factors is filled by the visitors and we have received high ratings from almost each person who filled the form.”
Spare money taken out from the monthly maintenance allowance of the police station is kept for buying tea and snacks for the visitors. Separate desk is dedicated for women and children so that they can comfortably file complaints and get redressals. IPS officer Mr Brijesh Rai said, “We have promoted a good work culture in our police stations.”
QUICK REDRESSALS
The Aska Model police station has not only topped the behavioural index but its performance has also been phenomenon. Mr. Prashanth Kumar said, “The total number of cases registered last year were around 940. All the cases were registered and charge sheet was submitted in 932 cases which makes it around 99 percent.”
Mr. Brijesh said, “Timely redressal is our top most priority. Cases against women are immediately chargesheeted within a stipulated time and same goes for the marginalized sections. Compensations mentioned according to the law and immediately issued to the people. Cases against children are taken with sensitivity.”
The beat system which is followed by the police force has also made people’s life easy. People living in remote areas, for any grievances, need not come to the police station rather they can report it to the respected beat officer who conveys it to the police immediately. Moreover, Aska Model PS is also the first in Odisha to digitize it’s entire database.
