Odisha Police has launched the Ama Police Samiti framework to strengthen child safety, prevent child marriage and promote community policing across five districts
OdishaPlus Bureau
Odisha Police has rolled out a comprehensive framework for ‘Ama Police Samiti’ to enhance citizen engagement in maintaining public safety and social harmony. The initiative to be implemented at police station level aims to foster closer collaboration between communities and law enforcement in crime prevention, protecting vulnerable groups and strengthening grassroots-level vigilance towards the broader goal of a child marriage-free Odisha by 2030.
As per a set of guidelines issued by the Inspector General of Police, Northern Range, Himanshu Kumar Lal, Ama Police Samitis will be implemented across all police stations in Sambalpur, Bargarh, Bolangir, Jharsuguda, and Subarnapur districts, covering rural and urban areas, with special emphasis on industrial belts, slums, and tribal regions.
Recognising that community participation is key to sustainable social change, the guidelines call for coordinated action involving police personnel, schools, Anganwadi centres, local representatives, self-help groups, NGOs, child protection bodies, and families. Special focus has been placed on preventing child marriage, child labour, child abuse, trafficking, and other forms of exploitation through early identification, timely intervention, and rehabilitation support.
To ensure sustained engagement, police stations have been directed to conduct Ama Police Samiti meetings at least once every fortnight, bringing together leaders, youth representatives, frontline workers, school management committees, and community stakeholders to discuss local concerns and devise preventive strategies.
As part of the child protection framework, the committees will maintain records of vulnerable children and monitor marriages through dedicated registers containing details of prospective brides, grooms, and their families. The initiative also envisions the development of child-friendly villages, supported by awareness campaigns and community-driven preventive measures.
The guidelines further mandate capacity-building of police personnel on child-friendly policing practices, child rights legislation, and provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. Police stations have also been instructed to strengthen Women and Child Desks and ensure prompt and sensitive handling of cases involving children.
At the district level, a dedicated core team headed by the Superintendent of Police will coordinate efforts to strengthen child protection systems and eliminate child marriage. The team will work closely with departments responsible for social welfare, education, health, child protection, and community development, ensuring a multi-stakeholder approach to addressing social vulnerabilities.
Officials believe that this community-led policing will deepen trust between law enforcement agencies and local communities. Committee members will serve as community sentinels, reporting instances of child marriage, child labour, abuse, trafficking, and missing children, while also leading awareness initiatives at the village and school levels.
With this proactive initiative, Odisha Police aims to strengthen child protection systems and create safer, more inclusive communities across the region. The move is expected to play a crucial role in advancing the state’s commitment to safeguarding children’s rights and achieving the goal of a child marriage-free Odisha by 2030.