Bhubaneswar: Odisha Director General of Police RP Sharma today congratulated the force in tackling left wing extremism in the state but said it needed to evolve new strategies as the problem continues.
The problem (LWE) still exists and Odisha Police needs to evolve the strategies against the naxals, he said and asked police officers not to be complacent.
"The police has done a wonderful job in tackling the LWEs. We cannot rest till there is a decade of absolute naxal free incidents in the state," Sharma said inaugurating the 60th Senior Police Officers Conference here.
Nine CRPF personnel were killed during the day after Maoists blasted their mine protected vehicle using over 50 kgs of explosives in Sukma district of neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
The DGP said that policemen need to upgrade their skill by using modern gadgets and technology in view of the new forms of crime in the fast changing scenario.
Referring to the modernisation of the force in the state, Sharma said each district will have a model police station. The features of model police station would be best infrastructure, logistics, skilled manpower, high rate of conviction, effective crime control and quality as well as expeditious investigations.
"We will accord a police station the status of model police station after examining the parameters. Adequate manpower will be supplied to the model police stations," he said.
On the shortage of manpower in police, Sharma said there was nearly 35 per cent shortage of sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors and the proposal for recruitment of additional manpower for the force is being considered by the government.