History of community policing

• Community policing in the USA had its origin in the frustration of earlier era (the mid 1960s to 1980s) of
professional model of policing and it stated working since later part of 1980s.

• India has been predominantly a feudal society with some tradition of associating citizens in governance during
the ancient times. Creation of a police organisation and specific powers of law enforcement, with preventive,
investigative and prosecuting duties can be traced back to 'Kautilya’. During the time of 'Mughals', involvement
of community in policing was not given importance.

• In pre-independent India the British also did not take responsibility for law and order in rural India. In its place
and in absence of regular police, the village head sewed in the capacity of Village Patel (headman) assisted by
Chowkidars who sewed as a civilian support system for the regular police forces.

• The post-independent India continues the tradition of rural policing. The National Police Commission report in
1950 characterised the experiments of some states such as the state of West Bengal as having programme
called Village Resistant Group to deal with dacoits and violent criminal gangs as a concept of self-policing.
• The earliest known community policing programme, called Gram Rakshak Dal (Village Defence Party), was established in every village in the States of
Maharashtra and Gujarat.

• The Bombay Police Act 1951 empowers the Superintendent, the highest police official at the district level to constitute volunteers for Village Defence Party
(VDP) to support and assist police officers in patrolling, resolving minor disputes among neighbours and informing police bootlegging, gambling, drug peddling
and other crimes.

• In 1963, the Police Commission noted that the State of Orissa dismantled its approximately 2500 Chowkidars and appointed more educated Gram Rakshis for
discharging responsibilities similar to the Chowkidars.

• The State of Karnataka also established such a programme with enactment of Karnataka Village Defence Parties Act in 1964.

• Friends of Police Movement (1993). which began in Ramnad District in Tamilnaduand eventually spread to the rest of the state.;

• Samarth Yojana Community Policing experimernt in Coimbator and Trichy;

• Prahari (3.7.1996) and Aahswas (2001) Community policing initiative in Assam;

• Bishwas in Himachal Pradesh (2000),

• Mohalla Committee Movement Trust in Maharashtra,

• Maithri (2000) in Andhra Pradesh,

• Community Liaison Group in Ultarakhand

• GramMagar Raksha Samiti in Chattisgarh,

• Janamaitri Suraksha in Kerala (2007).