Village visits by office-in-charge of Police Station and Supervisory Police Officers

(1) The officer-in-charge of the Police Station shall cause to be maintained a Village Register in such manner as may be specified, entering therein major crimes, incidents or occurrences with potential for crime, based, inter alia on the monthly report of the Beat Officer, and shall classify villages as “Sensitive” or “Non- Sensitive” Villages in consultation with the District Superintendent of Police. (2) The officer-in-charge of a Police Station shall visit every village under his jurisdiction, in the manner specified by the Superintendent of Police through a general or special order, and while doing so, he shall visit villages that are recorded as “Sensitive” in the Village Register as a first priority. (3) All supervisory officers including the Superintendent of Police shall visit as many villages in their jurisdiction as possible giving priority to sensitive villages. The purpose of such visits shall be to review the general state of crime, law and order situation and the activities, if any, of violent and militant individuals or group in the area and to generally acquaint themselves with the goings-on in the village having a bearing on crime, law and order or other policing tasks and to interact with as many local residents as possible so as to assess the level of public satisfaction with police service in the area. (4) Wherever it appears, on the basis of information received, that there is likelihood of violence or major crime or damage to property in any area, the Superintendent of Police in consultation with the District Magistrate may direct the organization of a group of local and respectable persons for each village of that area for the purpose of carrying out preventive patrols, promoting crime reduction measures and generally assisting the police in their functioning. The group shall be called the Village Defence Committee and may consist of not more than fifteen members. (5) Members of the Village Defence Committees shall be inducted by the Superintendent of Police in consultation with the local Panchayat, from amongst able-bodied persons, between the age of 25 and 45 years and with good character and antecedents, who are permanent residents of that village, have not been convicted by a court of law or charge-sheeted by the police in a criminal case, or dismissed, removed, discharged or compulsorily retired from any public employment on grounds of moral turpitude, corruption or misconduct, and are not office bearers of any political party, and in including the members, preference shall be given to Home Guards, Ex-servicemen and those who have earlier performed satisfactorily as member of the Village Defence Committee. The Superintendent of Police shall appoint one member as leader of the party, based on his experience and leadership qualities, and may remove or replace a member or the leader if his work or conduct is not satisfactory. (6) A Village Defence Committee shall be organized for a period not exceeding 180 days. Provided that the period may be extended further for another 180 days by the Superintendent of Police, in consultation with the District Magistrate, for reasons to be recorded in writing. (7) Membership of the Village Defence Committee shall be voluntary and honorary and the members of the Village Defence Committee shall wear Photo-identification badges issued by the District Superintendent of Police while performing their duties. (8) If person ceases to be a member of a Village Defence Committee, he shall forthwith deliver to the Superintendent of Police or to an officer authorized by him, the Photo-identification badge and all records and documents in his possession as a member of the Village Defence Committee.