Law-and-order, probe teams in police to be split to avoid virus

PERSONNEL POSTED ON THE STREETS ON LAW AND ORDER DUTIES WILL BE ADVISED NOT TO VISIT POLICE STATIONS AND THOSE AT THE STATIONS WON’T HAVE TO STEP OUT INTO THE FIELD

nNEW DELHI: Delhi Police will soon separate law and order and investigation duties in an attempt to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) among members of the force, according to a senior police officer who requested anonymity.

Personnel posted on the streets on law and order duties will be advised not to visit the police stations and those at the stations won’t have to step out into the field, the officer said. The two groups will interchange their work after completing their shifts. At least 110 police officers of the rank of constable to a deputy commissioner of police(dcp) have tested positive for the disease. A 32-year-old constable died last week. More than 1,000 police personnel are in home quarantine

From securing containment zones to maintaining social distancing on the roads, at liquor vends, markets and shelters for the homeless to feeding the hungry and maintaining law and order, police have been at the forefront of the fight against Covid-19 pandemic.

“One, the division in work happens. This will be like our own work-from-home culture. The field duty officers can directly go home or to the facilities set up by the department for them. Keeping the police station premises sanitised is important. It is the place from where we maintain the law and order of the area and ensure all citizens are safe. This will be the first time that such a division on duties will happen,” the police officer said.

Another officer said the police were adopting different measgiven ures to ensure that the virus does not seriously affect their work. To ensure that barracks inside stations and homes of the police personnel are safe, the department has arranged accommodation for at least 12,000 police officials on field duty in hostels, colleges, guest houses, hotels and community halls.

Last month, the Chandni Mahal police station was sealed and at least eight policemen tested Covid-19 positive. The transmission had happened inside the barracks of the station where the constables lived.

“We will ensure that the morale of our men and women is high. We are in this fight together. We have taken help from citizens and have space for 12,000 police officials, who need to be isolated or want to self-quarantine after completing their jobs,” the second officer said.

With relaxations in the lockdown norms leading to more people on the roads, police apprehend more Covid-19 cases in the force.

Many senior officers of the ranks of the special commissioner have been given additional responsibilities. The traffic chief is now in charge of overseeing the admission of police personnel in hospitals in critical cases. Other officers have been tasks such as visiting police stations every day to check on social distancing measures and counselling the junior-most officers.

There is also a team that visits police colonies to ensure that all families who need self-isolation are looked after. With ambulance vehicles in high demand, police have also converted some of their police vans into ambulance vehicles for police personnel and their families.

“Our force is squarely meeting the challenges of prevention of infection and treatment and thus fine-tuning containment strategy on a day to day basis. At every station and unit, around 15% of staff are in self-isolation or leave. They are ready to join anytime. Many are also returning from quarantine or recovering from the disease. There is no cause of panic. We are prepared for the fight,” a third officer said.

Retired Indian Police Service officer Prakash Singh, whose public interest litigation led to the Supreme Court passing landmark police reforms in 2006, said that if the Covid-19 pandemic has led to the division of law and order with investigation duties in police stations, it is a laudable initiative. Separation of law and order from investigation duties was part of the reforms mentioned by the apex court.

“The importance of the police is evident in these times. This is the same force that was facing criticism for their handling of many cases recently. We have all read reports of the selfless work they have been doing at this time. They are in the frontline. If circumstances (police personnel getting infected with the virus) has forced them to make the division, then it’s a good move. ”