Kathmandu, September 22

Minister for Home Affairs Janardan Sharma launched ‘Police in Our Neighbourhood’ campaign amid a function organised here today.

The campaign came into effect in all police units across the country under the theme of ‘Peace, Security and Good Governance: People-friendly Police and Administration’.

Addressing the function, Minister Sharma said, “Police are the eye of the general public as they get vital intelligence about criminal activities likely to destablise society. ‘Police in Our Neighbourhood’ campaign has been developed in such a way that cops will be deployed to prevent any untoward incident by gaining early information about it.”

He also termed the police as the first tool of the government to carry out its duty to serve the people. “Though police are making efforts to combat crimes in society, politicisation of crimes and the recurrence of drug smuggling, hooliganism, violence against women and robbery continue to pose threat to lives and property. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt measures against such threats,” he suggested.

Minister Sharma said police would be stationed in neighbourhoods to prevent and control criminal activities in close coordination with people under this campaign.

State Minister for Home Affairs Shyam Kumar Shrestha said the campaign aimed to bridge the gap between the public and police while projecting the cops as close friends of people.  “The government is committed to modernising police administration to bring them close to the people,” he said. Home Secretary Lokdarshan Regmi informed that this campaign would create for both public and police a win-win situation. “The MoHA will extend all necessary resources to make this campaign a success,” he said.

Inspector General of Police Prakash Aryal said the campaign would be fruitful in strengthening  cooperation between police and the public in the fight against crimes and social anomalies. This campaign, which ensures the presence of police in each neighbourhood, is also part of the 84-point Home Administration Reform Roadmap, 2017 issued by Minister Sharma.

This campaign also envisages a Citizen Security Coordination Committee consisting of police and people’s elected representatives, among other stakeholders. Prior to the launching of the campaign, a rally was taken out in different parts of the city.

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