Bike-mounted squad formed to fight street crime

Central district SSP deploys 340 cops on 85 motorcycles

KARACHI:

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Central District has constituted a bike-mounted force to control street crimes.

Central SSP Rana Maroof Usman on Monday briefed the selected policemen and ordered them to take full action against street crime. He said that ensuring safety of life and property of the citizens was among the top priorities of the police.

Talking to The Express Tribune in this regard, SSP Usman said that 340 policemen working from 22 precincts of Central district have been selected for the anti-street crime force. The squad is equipped with 85 motorcycles for patrolling on a daily basis. The SPs of New Karachi, Gulberg and Liaquatabad divisions have been tasked to supervise the security and patrolling duties of the force in their respective jurisdictions.

The patrol police will work in eight-hour shift instead of 12-hour for the regular police. The patrol will continue in two shifts from 4pm to 12pm and from 12pm to 8am.

In response to a question, SSP Central Rana Maroof Usman said that the anti-street crime force has been ordered to search suspicious motorcyclist or vehicles for any weapons or drugs. However, the force does not have the mandate to ask for vehicle documents and licenses.

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He said that in a few weeks, trackers will also be installed in the motorcycles given to the force. The trackers have been arranged with the financial support of philanthropists and would help officers to monitor the patrolling of the police personnel working for the force.

SSP Central further said that all the motorcycles allotted to the patrolling personnel were repaired on a self-help basis while they have also been equipped with hooters and flash lights. Teams of four constables each have been formed for patrolling. Each team will be provided two liters of petrol on daily basis which can be increased depending on the situation.

After formal formatting of the force, the anti-street crime force conducted flag marches in different areas of District Central.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 19^th, 2022.