Police warned against power abuse

LAHORE: Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Capt (r) Arif Nawaz Khan has said that effective patrolling and timely action of Dolphin Force significantly helped check street crimes in Lahore and other cities of Punjab.

However, officials abusing their powers or not following the standard operating procedures (SOPs) have no place in the department, he warned. While chairing a meeting of senior police officers at Central Police Office, he ordered for taking stern departmental and legal action against officials responsible for the death of a woman in Dolphin firing.

All Dolphin officials should be thoroughly briefed that they could only fire when they are attacked or fired upon; otherwise, they do not have any authority to open fire. Officials violating the orders should get be ready for departmental and legal action, he added.

SP Dolphin Bilal Zafar briefed the IGP about the performance of Dolphin Force. He said due to community-based policing, graph of street crimes had plummeted. The SP said for capacity building of officials of Dolphin Force, a four-week refresher course was being held every year in which they were being trained for one week each at Police Training College Chung and Elite Training College Bedian, and for two weeks at the District Police Lines, Lahore.

They are imparted training about crime control and latest professional skills and about ethics. Currently 2,416 Dolphin officials patrol in 277 beats of the city, said the SP. Additional IGPs, CCPO Lahore, DIGs and other officials were also present.