‘KMC City Police strength inadequate’

Kathmandu, June 7

The City Police that works under Kathmandu Metropolitan City has said that its current strength is not adequate to carry out day-to-day work.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Bishnu Prasad Joshi, chief of  the City Police, at least 500 city police personnel are required to smoothly carry out regular work, including law enforcement. Currently, there are 196 City Police personnel for all the 32 wards of KMC.

Duties like implementing new rules set by KMC, clearing footpaths, removing illegal hoarding boards and posters, managing stray animals and carcasses, preventing people from littering at public places, controlling purchase and sale of tobacco products, alcohol and illegal drugs, maintaining peace and security in public places, clearing road obstacles and taking under control people disturbing the peace are some of the duties that City Police is entrusted with.

Apart from these duties, the City Police also provides security details to mayor, deputy mayor and high level executives of KMC. Currently, there are four DSPs, seven inspectors, 16 sub-inspectors, 65 assistant sub-inspectors, 38 head constables and 66 constables in the City Police. Of these, 17 have been deployed as fire fighters, 10 as security guards at the KMC building, eight to 10 personnel as security details of elected representatives and around 30 work under various departments of KMC.

The remaining personnel are deployed on roads, public areas, tourist centres, heritage sites and all wards of KMC to check and take action against offenders.

DSP Joshi said they lacked enough police vans, loaders, dozers, excavators and drilling machines necessary to carry out their day-to-day work.

“We are compelled to hire these equipment with private vendors. This has added to the financial burden of KMC,” he said. The City Police is not allowed to carry firearms. Of the nine police vans owned by the City Police only four are functional.

KMC Spokesperson Gyanendra Karki said they were working to bring a separate act for the management of City Police, so that it could recruit personnel as per necessity. Currently, the City Police personnel are recruited through the Public Service Commission.