The police force has been battered, with so many personnel perishing in the deadly first wave of the outbreak
Representative image. Pic/ istock
This is one bounce back we do not wish to see, but unfortunately it is happening and things are reverting to pre-COVID times. After reporting a reduction in crime because of the pandemic in 2020, numbers rose again in 2021, said Mumbai’s Annual Report.
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The number of offences has gone back to the pre-pandemic era but so has the detection rate. Theft remains a top concern, statistics show. Top police officers have stated that the force is doing all it can to up the detection and solving rate. One hoped that lower crime rates became part of the ‘new normal’ that may rule our lives, but that was not to be. The police force has been battered, with so many personnel perishing in the deadly first wave of the outbreak.
We need to assist the police and that does not mean in any formal sense. It simply means we look out for our safety as much as possible, lessening the burden for our men and women in uniform and thereby showing empathy for the force whose duty it is to protect us. Ensure good surveillance in residential societies with CCTV cameras making life easier for the cops. Register domestic help with the nearest police station.
Senior citizens can also inform the nearest, local police station if they live alone. Make sure home doors are secure and you have a peep hole to ensure you know who is at the door. Double doors are good, so that there is one more safety layer for homes. Do keep phone numbers and emergency numbers at hand.
When outside, especially on lonely patches avoid ostentatious jewellery especially chains. Keep valuables on your person or secured. This edit space has earlier red-flagged cybercrimes, which in fact, had shown growth during the lockdown.
These are basic tips to ensure citizens and the police become partners-in-no-crime.