Ama Police

Police is the saviour of modern civil society. The primary responsibility of Police is the maintenance of
public order, prevention and detection of crimes in the State. Police also protects the life, liberty and
property of the people. Above all, Police plays an important role in the administration of justice. Democracy
without Police is meaningless, so Police is the bullwork of democracy. It ensures that the relationship
between the people and the police should be cordial. In our country there is very often complaint of police
harrassment, corruption, bribery, favouritism etc. in police organisation. As a result of that people do not
like to approach the Police for redressal of their grievances. In this connection community participation with
positive attitude is a must. The traditional approach to Police should change. To make the police
administration people oriented so many reforms have been taken place. In this context, Commissionerate
Police was introduced in different states including our state. After that a new concept of decentralised
Police has been introduced in our State on 1st of April, 2013 named as "Community Policing or Ama Police
Project" on the eve of Utkal Divas and Odisha Police Formation Day. The Community Policing scheme was
launched in Markat Nagar Police Station, CDA, Cuttack.
Community Policing is a decentralised form of service meant for the society at large. It is a modernised
form of police system. Police as an organised institution was framed as per the Police Act, 1961 which was
the old Choukidari System during British Rule. Community Policing is based on the democratic principle
that anyone who exercises authority on behalf of the community is accountable to the community for the
exercise of that authority.
The main objectives of Community Policing are :
To minimise the gap between police and citizens.
To develop the trust of the community.
To make the police institution as an integral part of community.
To develop mutual co-operation and understanding among the citizens.
Prevention of crime.
It shows that community policing is different from traditional policing. The traditional policing is reactive to
incident whereas community policing is pro-active and community empowerment policing. The role of
traditional policing is limited to incident response but the identification and solving of problems. The
traditional policing supervision is control-oriented and authoritative in style whereas we find supervision is
problem-oriented and democratic in style in Community Policing System.
Therefore it is necessary to understand about the structure and function of Ama Police project of
Community Policing.
It is a three-tier structure organisation, viz.
Ama police Beat at the bottom
 Ama police Samiti at the middle
District Advisory Committee at the top.
Ama Police Beat is a bottom level unit under which each police station has been divided into several
contiguous beats basing on population, homogeneity and other common characteristics. Ama Police Beat
is headed by an Assistant Sub-Inspector or a Head Constable or Constable. Each beat may have 500 to
800 houses approximately. The beat officer will share the mobile phone number of the beat area
inhabitants. The name, identification and contact number of the beat officer will be exhibited at important
places of the beat area. So the Beat Officer will act as a "Linking Pin" between the Community and the
Police Station.
comprising proportionate representation of women, SC, ST members. The High School, College
Headmaster/Principal, Teacher, retired Officers, ex-servicemen, merchants, NGO, workers' representative,
residents, Association representatives, Puja Committee representatives etc. may be included in the
Committee. The member of the Samiti will not be less than 10 and more than 25. The Samiti may be
reconstituted every two years and will meet at least once in a month. The main function of the Samiti is to
promote participatory Police administration in that particular area.
The District Advisory Committee ( DAC) will be constituted under the headship of Superintendent of Police
for proper supervision of function. The District Advisory Committee will meet once in every three months
and MPs, MLAs, Municipality Chairman, Mayor may be invited to the meeting. They will furnish necessary
suggestions and instructions for improvement of their performance.
The overall function of the Ama Police Project is to provide special attention to senior citizens residing in
that locality and promote community participation in prevention of crime and maintenance of law and order.
The major challenges for the Community Policing are lack of infrastructure, lack of Police Personnel, lack
of finance and rigid bureaucratic system.
Therefore for smooth execution of Ama Police Project there needs resource improvement, legal support,
reposing of trust and public awareness on Community Policing.