DGP: will work on intelligence,fight Naxals

One of the first changes he promised would involve his background with intelligence gathering: he has worked in the Intelligence Bureau between 1987 and 1993,and served as the State Intelligence chief before his last posting as Mumbai CP. He would bring that experience into play to “strengthen the intelligence network and also improve the police response,” he said.

His immediate challenges,he said,would be combating terrorism and Naxalism.

In the last one year,as CP,Sivanandhan had besides other efforts tried to change the image of the police. In his many lectures to citizens,the youth and business groups,he is known to have emphasised that the “police are the eyes and ears of the citizens and will be there to protect them in times of need”. This major bridge building exercise was after the brickbats of November 26,2008 when the city police’s image got a tough beating.

Sivanandhan is known to take tough decisions; his combat against the mafia during his stint in the Crime Branch is an example.

“For me the value of a citizen’s life is as important as my work force,” he said,talking about 26/11 when the force lost its men to terrorism.

His other stints have included commissioner in places like Nagpur— “the co-ordination was always there to tackle Naxalism. Now,I will have to study to understand and declare where we stand”.