Jaipur: Rajasthan Police is building a statewide network of over 74,000 youngsters aged 18 to 29 to work alongside the force to bring Gen Z into the policing ecosystem.The Youth Community Liaison Group (Y-CLG), created under a new Rajasthan Police standing order, is being rolled out at district, police-station and beat levels.Police said more than 61,000 youngsters have already been selected at the beat level, over 11,000 at police-station level and around 2,000 at the district level.DGP Rajeev Kumar Sharma said that the initiative gives young volunteers a formal role in helping police identify suspicious activity, engage with their communities and assist during emergencies and public events. They will also help police in battling the menace of drugs and cybercrime.At the police-station level, each Y-CLG will have around 10-15 members. Selection will involve an application, interview and police verification. Police said members will undergo a week-long orientation and training programme and maintain regular contact with local officers, with monthly meetings envisaged.One of the key objectives is to tap into information and networks that police may not otherwise easily access among young people. Members can report suspicious activities and assist in community surveillance, traffic management and crowd control during fairs, festivals, rallies and other large gatherings.The order also envisages Y-CLG members acting as responders during emergencies such as floods, earthquakes, fires and serious accidents. They can assist senior citizens and participate in mentorship programmes in which senior police officers engage with young people.The network will also be used for community-building activities, including sports competitions, cultural programmes, blood donation camps, cleanliness drives and tree plantation. Police stations will organise outdoor sports activities with Y-CLG members at at least one location, with beat or intelligence personnel encouraged to participate.The tenure of Y-CLG members will be three years. At the end of the first year, one-third of the members will retire and be replaced by new members. District superintendents of police can extend the tenure of members considered particularly active and useful.The groups will also be used to promote social harmony and youth development through skill-development, self-employment and other community initiatives.Sharma said that in Dungarpur, the group has already been helping the police during World Tribal Day.
