FAISALABAD, July 12: District Police Officer Muhammad Amin Wains has claimed that the crime rate has dropped after the implementation of the Union Council Security Network in both rural and urban areas of the district.

Talking to newsmen after presiding over a meeting of the local police officials, including SHOs, DSPs, ASPs, heads of patrolling squads and constables here on Monday, he said a new policing plan had been evolved to arrest the crime graph through police-public partnership.

He said the network had been established in the district after a successful model launched in Thikriwala. The DPO said with the separation of the watch and ward from the investigation wings, the local police had reorganized the watch and ward by declaring each and every UC as a separate beat.

A mobile squad of two policemen equipped with wireless and weapons had been deputed in all the 289 UCs for round-the-clock patrolling. The targets of deputing policemen in far-flung areas, preparation of daily beat-books, comprising 100 pro formas, security of sensitive areas and keeping a record of foreigners and crime-breeding spots had also been achieved through this system, he added.

He claimed that prior to the new system, particulars of all houses, shops, commercial centres, educational institutions, health centres and other institutions were briefly documented.

SI FLEES: A sub-inspector accused in a murder case managed his escape from the police custody when he was brought to the district courts here on Monday. Reports said the Sargodha Road police had arrested Muhammad Jawed for his involvement in a murder case.

ASI Jawed Iqbal along with constable Sakhawat Ali brought the accused to the court from where he escaped the police. Kotwali police have registered a case against Javed Iqbal and Sakhawat on charges of dereliction of duties and arrested them.