IGP orders compiling data of habitual offenders with IOs’ help

IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon on Monday chaired a review meeting on the Sindh Habitual Offenders Monitoring Act, 2022, and also sought details related to habitual offenders.

In the meeting at the Central Police Office (CPO), details related to the surveillance of habitual offenders, and police actions in this regard were reviewed, and the necessary instructions wereissued.

The T&T and crime & investigation DIG briefed the meeting on the 2022 law and its implementation measures. He said that while the supervision of habitual offenders would be determined by the court, an advertisement for the purchase of e-tagging devices was also published on November 11.

The meeting was told that the monitoring process would be started from police station level, and later on this process would be extended to divisions, zones and CPOs. Sindh police chief Memon said that the interpretation of a habitual offender is very clear in the constitution and the law, so it is necessary that all the investigation SSPs and SPs ensure every step to compile the data of habitual offenders in collaboration with the investigating officers (IOs) concerned.

He said that not only should the registration of identity cards of the accused be ensured but the system should also be centralised, and all possible steps should be taken to provide awareness and training at grass-roots level for the installation, use and monitoring of the devices.

He ordered that a training and awareness course be set up for police officers and personnel regarding the use of monitoring devices, while the implementation committee should also ensure the setting up of the SOP related to officers and staff. The provincial police chief also said that there is a strong hope that the surveillance of habitual offenders would reduce the pressure on the prisons.