To make people aware about law and the roles and functions of police, Laya’s first gewog police office was opened on October 19.

The gewog police office has a non commissioned officer assisted by four constables. The office will handle minor civil issues of the community, while major crimes and problems will be forwarded to Gasa.

Before the establishment of the gewog police office, the community resolved minor civil issues through the intervention and legal advises of local leaders. The common problems faced by the community are assault, battery, fights, harassments, thefts and issues related to land and properties.

A resident, Lhaday, 33, from Toko chiwog said that the opening of a police office make them confident and secure. “We didn’t know who to approach with problems. People under the influence of alcohol break into our homes and create problems,” she said.

She said there have been incidents where women were harassed. “We were helpless then but now we feel secure in the presence of police personnel here,” she said.

Officials at the gewog police office said the objective of opening a station was not because the community has a high rate of crime. “It is to make people aware about law and we feel that in our presence, the community would understand the rule of law.”

The office would also participate in the Royal highland festival held annually in Laya and provide security to the community.

Khandu, 24 from Yoesakha said that a police office would be convenient to the community. “We can now rely on them when we face problems and we feel safe now.”

The office in future will conduct community and youth partnership programmes such as police-youth partnership, police-parents partnership and friends of police to familiarise the community with laws. Laya community has around 290 households with all four chiwogs clustered except for one chiwog located few kilometres away.

Nima | Laya