TV not working? Call the cops

TV not working? Call the cops
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: Planning a vacation but worried about leaving behind a locked house?
Relax, a solution may be at hand—courtesy the Goa police. People leaving their homes unattended for a short period can now inform the beat officer in their area. And he will stand guard.
To build a rapport with the public, the police have drawn up a number of other innovative proposals. If you are an elderly single woman and your television goes blink, inform the beat officer. He will arrange for a technician.
Police help can also be sought to get water supply, clear garbage, tide over waterlogging, get streetlight fuses replaced and other public interest issues. A circular to this effect was issued by IGP Kishan Kumar on August 8.
“If anyone has a problem, they just need to inform the PI, who would then bring it to the notice of the agency concerned,” the circular notes.
The police believe such friendly interactions will lead the people to trust the force more. The police are also working towards forming policepublic committees to get suggestions and cooperation from people with regard to better policing.
The circular also says that during peak hours, the beat officer could help regulate crowds at bus stops and assist children near schools. He could also keep watch on banks on pay day and regulate crowds at places of worship on festival days. Besides, he would also educate people on crime prevention measures.
Apart from this, will be his regular task of gathering information like number of houses, family profiles, ownership details, telephone numbers, etc and verifying them regularly.
But the big question is how much can a beat officer really handle?

August 13, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition