Ludhiana Police Commissioner seeks 1,200 policemen to reduce staff shortage in force

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 15

In order to provide efficient policing and ensure more visibility of the police force on roads, the Ludhiana Police Commissioner (CP), Dr Kaustubh Sharma, has written to the Punjab Police Headquarters, Chandigarh, to seek atleast 1200 policemen of constable and head constable rank.

At present, there is less patrolling on city roads. The Ludhiana Commissionerate has enough patrol vehicles, both two-wheelers and four-wheelers, but no cops to run them. I am sure that in the days to come, the Commissionerate will get additional force. — Dr Kaustubh Sharma, Police Commissioner, Ludhiana

Talking to The Tribune, Sharma said, “The Ludhiana police has a strength of 4,000 cops. These include cops deployed on the law and order duty, in police stations and gunmen with VIPs. We are short of atleast 1,200 cops. Due to this shortage, work at police stations and at other cells is getting affected. Shortage also forces cops to spend extra hours on duty, which has a bad effect on their health.”

Sharma said due to staff shortage, complaints kept on piling. Once the shortage was cleared, complaints would be disposed of at fast pace, Sharma added. “I have written to the police headquarters in Chandigarh and urged the department to fill this shortage either by providing force from the Punjab Armed Police or withdraw cops from other police districts where excess personnel are deployed,” said Sharma.

“At present, there is less patrolling on city roads. The Ludhiana Commissionerate has enough patrol vehicles, including two wheelers and four wheelers, but no cops to run them. I am sure that in the days to come, the Commissionerate will get additional force,” Sharma added.

Sources said officials are also planning to trim security of VIPs and senior cops. Policemen working in some cells of the Commissionerate are also being scanned to find if they can be deployed on field duty, the sources added.

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