Srinagar, Oct 17 (NVI): Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone, Sujit Kumar Singh has directed all police stations across Kashmir to adopt SMART Policing and Digital Beat Policing as an integral part of their daily functioning, with an emphasis on technology-driven service delivery, accountability and citizen-centric policing.
Singh issued the directions while chairing a conference on SMART Policing and Digital Beat Policing, attended by Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs) of ranges, district Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs), Additional SSPs, Zonal SSPs, Deputy Superintendents of Police (DySPs) and Station House Officers (SHOs) from across the Kashmir Zone.
The initiative, in line with the vision and directions of the Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, aims to transform police stations into modern, efficient, accountable and citizen-friendly institutions, ensuring prompt and accessible delivery of services to the public.
During the conference, the IGP emphasised the five fundamental principles of SMART Policing — strict and sensitive, modern and mobile, alert and accountable, reliable and responsive, and techno-savvy and trained.
He stressed that the concept should not remain confined to policy documents but must be reflected in the conduct of police personnel, working culture and day-to-day functioning of every police station.
The IGP also directed all SHOs to institutionalise Digital Beat Policing in their respective jurisdictions, ensuring regular field visits by beat officers, meaningful interaction with local residents and effective delivery of police services at the grassroots level.
He said digital beat policing should focus on regular public outreach, maintenance and updating of beat-level records on digital platforms, prompt resolution of public grievances and transparent delivery of services through technology.
The initiative would also establish clear responsibilities for beat officers, with SHOs and supervisory officers tasked with monitoring their performance and ensuring accountability, officials said.
Emphasising the importance of community participation, Singh called for sustained engagement between police personnel and local residents to strengthen public confidence and improve police-public relations.
He said police stations were the primary point of contact between the police and the public and, therefore, must remain accessible, responsive and equipped with modern technological capabilities.
The IGP directed supervisory officers to personally monitor the implementation of the initiatives and ensure that the measures translated into visible improvements in policing and public service delivery on the ground.
“Our objective is to make every police station in Kashmir Zone SMART and citizen-centric, where technology strengthens accountability and police services reach every citizen with dignity,” Singh said.
All district police heads were directed to ensure effective implementation of the initiatives across the Kashmir Zone, with particular focus on technology-enabled services, beat-level public engagement and accountability.
The Kashmir Zone Police reiterated its commitment to developing a modern, responsive and technology-driven policing system aimed at improving efficiency and strengthening public trust.—(NVI)
