Director-General of Police T.K. Rajendran on Saturday urged the police personnel to empathise with the complainants who come to the station and help them solve their problems.

Speaking at the grievance redressal meeting for police personnel of West Zone of the State, the DGP said police personnel should consider the people’s grievances as their own. “This will help in improving the image of the department,” he said.

Personnel from eight districts from the zone – Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Erode, Salem, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Namakkal – attended the meeting. “This is not just a meeting. Action will definitely be taken on the petitions you have presented,” Rajendran, who received more than 1200 petitions during the meeting, added.

The petitions mostly pertained to requests for transfers, promotions and reduction of punishment or removal from punishment list.

Giving details on the actions taken so far, he said the quantum of punishment has been reduced for 264 personnel, while 44 were taken back to duty. “For 109 persons the punishments have been withdrawn and 19 dismissals have been converted into compulsory retirement,” he said.

Out of the 1242 petitions received here, 729 were from the districts, 419 from Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Salem and 94 from special forces, said a press release.

Speaking at the event, newly appointed City Police Commissioner K Periaiah said such grievance reddressals would help boost the morale of the police personnel.