Police-youth partnership program
Getting the better of juvenile delinquency with the help of the young
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| HAND IN HAND: Young people march with police in a show of solidarity against crime |
24 December, 2008 – With 182 youth cases recorded from May 2007 to date, in which almost 300 youth were arrested this year itself for possessing drugs in the capital, the royal Bhutan police (RBP) has finally come up with a solution to bring about positive change in youth.
A 40-day police-youth partnership programme, starting with a weeklong training session at Nazhoen Pelri complex, involving 195 students (99 girls, 96 boys including school dropouts), is presently underway. Earlier a sensitisation program for 74 schools and one institute, covering 49,650 students all around the country, was carried out by the RBP.
During the launching ceremony at the clock tower on December 21, the chief of police, colonel Kipchu Namgyal said that the relation between police and youth has been less friendly in the past. “The traditional method of crime prevention, which is based on detention of offenders to prevent further crimes proved to be disastrous, as more and more youth came in contact with hardened criminals,” he said. “The RBP aspires to foster a closer relationship with youth to reduce juvenile crimes.”
The education minister, Lyonpo Thakur Singh, who graced the occasion, said that the number of student-participants was admirable and that it takes a whole city, a whole village, everybody, in a manner of saying, to make a nation secure.
“Youth involvement is indeed crucial in securing the physical and moral health of our nation,” said the minister. “It’s the aberrations of behaviour that threaten the fabric of social life and bring people in conflict with the law, which is otherwise happy to remain silent and invisible.”
With a total fund of Nu 1.16 million from “Save the Children” (US program). the ongoing programme includes educating the youth on drugs, law, fire safety and traffic safety.
Trained youth in groups would later be attached with different police divisions every week and also handle minor cases. Youth will also be taken to visit discotheques and bars to familiarise themselves with youth problems. But no female participants would be involved in night patrolling.
“The youth involvement in serious crimes has caused wide concern to most residents and, through the programme, we expect more youth to come forward and have positive relation with the police to address their problems”, said a RBP official. Every participant is being paid Nu 62.50 as compensation for meals and other comforts and also to make a meaningful income.
“I’m really excited about the practical activities and I hope to learn and share my experience with my friends,” said a high school student. “The government should encourage such programmes in other dzongkhags and clean out crime from our country.”
By Passang Norbu (Kuenselonline)