Bhubaneswar: Senior IPS officer Bijay Kumar Sharma today stressed upon the use of modern technologies for better policing as his topmost priority apart from ensuring overall improvement in police station functioning.
Taking over as the Head of Police Force in Odisha from the outgoing DGP RP Sharma at the State Police headquarters, the 1986-batch IPS officer said, “Police should play a major role in prevention as well as detection of crimes in a transparent manner so that it will help people trust police more. In this regard, my top priority would be ensure that police officials, be it a simple constable or a home guard, has access to modern technolgies, as it will help better crime fighting."
Stressing on improving the relationship between public and police, Sharma said, “If police fail to work efficiently and fail in crime detection, distress among public is evident. Therefore, the police department has to increase its efficiency.”
“The functioning of police stations should improve so that anyone who reaches police station for any grievance redressal are immediately helped by the cops because it will make the police more transparent and responsive to the people," the IPS officer said.
“There are many officers in Odisha Police right from SP level to DIG to other senior officers who are honest and hardworking. Efforts will be made to harness their positive energies to motivate other personnel for good performance,” stated Sharma
Sharma who is currently the chief of Fire Services, Home Guards and Civil Defence assumed the full additional charge as the Director General of Police today.
His appointment comes shortly after Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal approved the appointment of the outgoing DGP RP Sharma as a non-judicial member of the State Lokayukta on Tuesday.
Sharma, a 1986-batch IPS officer had officiated as DGP In-charge during the recent general elections in the State when the then DGP RP Sharma had to take leave following the demise of his wife.
Prior to his current postings as Director General of Fire Services and Commandant General (home guards) and Director of Civil Defence, Sharma was appointed Director General (Prisons) and was also posted as Special DGP Crime Branch (CID).
Sharma is among the few senior IPS officers from the 1986 or 1987 batch Odisha cadre who are frontrunners to take charge as the full time DGP of the State.
As per the new Supreme Court guidelines, the State has to send a list of IPS officers for consideration to the Union Public Service Commission. The selection panel will shortlist three names from the list and the State government has to pick one of them as the DGP.