CCF: Creating awareness to build crime-free India

Bengaluru: A Bengaluru-based NGO has proposed inclusion of its community policing initiative, which is run with the help of volunteers, in the Karnataka Police Act. To scale up their initiatives, the NGO – Crime Control Force (CCF), intends to gradually hand it over to the Bengaluru City Police (BCP).

The CCF, set up in 2016, has worked as the eyes and ears of the police, and has been conducting campaigns to raise awareness among residents to reduce and prevent crimes in their localities. CCF operates independently and aims to create a society free of corruption and crime. It also fights human rights violations, bonded labour, child labour, ill-treatment of women and other illegal activities.

Mr Risheek Rakesh, national president, CCF, says, "The Crime Control Force was set up in 2016 under the Indian Trusts Act, 1882 with the aim to wipe out corruption. Corruption is becoming detrimental to all-round progress of the country and gives us a bad name internationally. Our priority number 2 is to control crime in society with the aid and active participation of people from all walks of life, especially the common people who have suffered the most because of corruption that has become rampant in our society."

CCF aims to develop a healthy public-police relationship as there has always been a gap between the police and the people. "People are not aware of their rights and the kind of help they can seek from the police department. In many cases, a proper investigation into vital issues is not taken up only because people do not trust the police. But over time and modernisation of the country, people are becoming aware of their rights and other services," he said.

The NGO boasts of several success stories since its launch by creating awareness on traffic rules and conducting road safety campaigns.

Mr Navaneeth L.V., advocate and legal head, CCF, says "We regularly conduct awareness campaigns, programmes and events in various parts of Bengaluru to educate people about child abuse, women's safety, traffic violations, chain snatching etc."

Since 2017, it has also started a missed call campaign to understand the number of people who show interest in making the country crime free.

"We strongly believe that when you change a person's life, you change the direction of a family, which changes a community and ultimately the world. We also believe that awareness is the strongest tool to curb crime. A person avoids committing a crime if he/she is aware of the consequences. Our dream is to make the country crime free," Mr Navaneeth said.