Singh was addressing hundreds of school and college students attending a youth awareness programme at Shanmukhanand Hall in Matunga. The programme was aimed at creating awareness on crime and addiction.

“No doctor can assure you that you will be free of illness all your life if you do not follow certain health rules. Similarly, if you do not follow certain rules, and do not keep your eyes and ears open, the city will not be safe no matter how good a police force or police commissioner it has,” Singh said.

The police chief urged students to report even the smallest of offences to the police, and cited a few examples like people obtaining driving licence through agents to avoid screening and evading octroi by paying enforcment officials.

“People today want liquor shops to be not far from their houses but not too close either. This is because they don’t want people to get drunk and create a nuisance near their houses. People don’t mind seeing neighbours’ children falling prey to bad habits but fail to realise it will lead to bigger problems. Today’s molestor will be tomorrow’s rapist if not reported to the police in time,” Singh said.

Singh also spoke about the ICE application conceived as a quick alarm system in cases of problems faced by citizens, particularly women. The application is now available for Android phones.