DK SP vows to remove people’s fear about police and build confidence

Mangaluru, Jan 2: B M Lakshmi Prasad, who took charge as the new Superintendent of Police of Dakshina Kannada district yesterday, has stressed on people-friendly policing and having mutual respect between the police and the public.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Prasad said it was necessary for the police to have a patient hearing of people’s problems. “There is a kind of fear about police in the minds of the public. “The fear will be removed by building trust and confidence on the police system.”

Mr. Prasad said he will strive to strengthen the new beat system put in place by his predecessor Ravikanthe Gowda B.R. in which a police constable discharges the role of an inspector of his area.

“I am keen on fortifying the (new beat) system,” he said and added that he will follow ‘people-friendly policing’ guidelines laid down by the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police.

Terming the district as more sensitive than others, Mr. Prasad said he believed in maintaining a good communication channel with people.

“But if the situation goes off hand, then I know how to handle it,” he said and added that this was his first independent charge of a district. The police will act as per law and will not be favouring any community, he added.

While maintaining that there was no question of allowing illegal sand mining and transportation, Mr. Prasad said he will study the issue and take necessary action, including creation of new check-posts.

Mr. Prasad, who earlier served as the Superintendent of Police of Anti Naxal Force, Karkala, said effective action by the State government had largely kept the activities of Maoists under control. The ANF and district police units are now tasked with continuing the vigil and maintaining the same control.

Mr. Prasad, a 2014-batch IPS officer, had his schooling in Kudremukh. He finished his B.E. (computer science) from R.V. Engineering College, Bengaluru.

Having worked for five years in an IT firm, Mr. Prasad cleared the UPSC in the second attempt to enter IPS. “It’s the drive to serve people and have a better understanding of the society that made me choose IPS,” Mr. Prasad said and added nearly 70% of IPS officers in 2014 were engineering graduates.

Mr. Prasad first served as Assistant Superintendent of Police, Bagalkot. He then served as SP, ANF before this posting as SP, Internal Security (Centre for Counter Terrorism), Bengaluru.