June 22, 2008	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Sani 17, 1429

PESHAWAR, June 21: NWFP Inspector-General of Police Malik Naveed Khan on Friday launched the community policing system in Peshawar at a ceremony held at a school in Chamkani.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Naveed said Peshawar was the first city in the country to be availing the services of special police officers (community police).

He appreciated the fact that people themselves had come forward to support police in the fight against social evils and anti-social elements, and to help maintain law and order in their localities.

In the prevailing circumstances, he said, importance of special police officers had increased because some gangs of criminals had become active and it was the duty of both police and the community to join hands against them.

He said the community policing system was part of the Police Order, 2002. The system, he said, would later be introduced in Haripur, Nowshera, Mardan and Kohat districts, and gradually in other districts in order to bridge the gap between police and the community.

Later, talking to journalists, the inspector-general said funds allocated in the budget for the police department might not meet the needs, but the government was determined to solve the problems and had committed to provide more funds for equipping the police force.

Answering a question, he said the militants were gangs of criminals, who had grouped up, and police knew how to root them out. However, he said, police needed the support of the community at least in pinpointing the troublemakers and dens of criminals.

He said services of some retired military and police personnel had been acquired and work on recruitment of 7,500 elite force was in the final stage, who would be imparted training in various police training schools.

The community police, he said, would be from the age group of 18 to 25 years old. He said they would extend full support to police by having close liaison for intimation about activities of anti-social elements, break out of various infectious human and animal diseases, natural calamities, and activities of foreigners, including Afghan nationals.