Lucknow: The Lucknow Police Commissionerate has decided to appoint candidates with a good track record as special police officers (SPOs) for three years to assist cops in maintaining law and order during communal riots, managing traffic and in carrying out relief operations during emergency situations like earthquakes, floods and accidents.
Zonal police officers will appoint SPOs in their respective areas and issue identity cards to them. These appointments will be for three years.
Piyush Mordia, joint police commissioner, said that an SPO’s appointment will be revoked, if he is found to be involved in any illegal activity.
DCP (East) Prachi Singh, who has been made the nodal head for the strengthening of the SPOs in the state capital, said that the provision of SPOs has been taken from the Police Act of 1861.
The SPO will be a person of repute and who has conducted good deeds and helped the public in distress or saved lives.
“Briefing of SPOs will be done on how to gather information and intelligence, keep an eye on the special criminal incidents and also assist traffic movement” she said.
“List of names, addresses and mobile numbers of each SPO in the police station will be pasted,” said the DCP.
They will also collect information regarding gambling rackets, illegal liquor stores, if any, illegal slaughter of animals.
The officer also said that issues of land disputes and love affairs in which incidents of murder have happened or might happen must also be reported to the police stations.
Singh said that until now in Lucknow, SPOs had a very limited role and that was to maintain law and order while their IDs were also not renewed, and they remained under the SHO/SO of their areas.
“During times of festivals coinciding, like Muharram and Durga Puja, SPOs were appointed for a temporary period in Lucknow,” said the DCP.
However, from now on, in Lucknow, an officer of the DCP-rank will issue ID cards to the SPOs.
Candidates willing to bear the responsibility of SPO will have to fill a form and submit the same at their respective police stations. The SPOs will be appointed only after verification at various levels, added Singh.
Station house officers will have to seek advice of SPOs to ensure peace on festive occasions.
–IANS