New Mumbai police chief says will focus on law and order, crime detection

Senior IPS officer Vivek Phansalkar on Thursday took charge as the new police commissioner of Mumbai and said maintaining law and order in the metropolis and detection of crime will be his top priorities.

Phansalkar succeeded Sanjay Pandey, who has retired from the police service.

The 1989-batch IPS officer's appointment to the top post was announced by the Maharashtra home department on Wednesday.

Phansalkar took charge of his assignment at the police commissioner's office situated at Crawford Market in South Mumbai around 4.45 pm.

Talking to reporters later, the top cop said he will strive to make the Mumbai police among the finest and strongest police forces in the world with the help of its personnel.

Besides maintaining law and order and improving detection rate of crime, safety of senior citizens, women and children will be among the focused areas of the force under his tenure, Phansalkar said.

People should feel safe while moving around in the metropolis, said the top cop. Phansalkar was serving as the DG and MD of the Police Housing and Welfare Corporation before his current appointment.

He has served the Maharashtra Police in various key capacities, including as Thane police commissioner and state ATS chief.