KOCHI: Much is being discussed to ensure safety of women in public spaces mainly during night time. In Kochi city, however, there are hardly any women police personnel on duty at bus stands, railway stations and thoroughfares at night, mainly after 8 pm. No wonder the Kerala Police Association itself is against deploying women cops on streets considering their safety. Women commuters say the police department should take measures to deploy women cops (Pink Patrol) near bus stands and railway stations after sundown.
Though senior officers claim that there are enough women police personnel for night patrol duty in the city, insiders in the city police reveal that the women police staff refuse to undertake night patrolling.
It’s alleged that the top brass of the state police have taken a soft stand on deploying women police personnel at bus stands and railway stations because Kerala Police Association (KPA) is said to be in favour of avoiding night patrol duty for policewomen fearing their safety.
C R Biju, KPA general secretary, said the shortage of policewomen was the main reason for the fewer number of women police taking up patrol duty at night. “Whether it’s the bus stand, railway station or any other spot, the department cannot send a single woman officer along with the male officers for duty at night. At least, two women personnel are needed in the team for deployment in bus stands and railway stations. Only if government recruits an adequate number of women as police personnel, the department will be able to end the impasse,” Biju said.
Though several rounds of discussion were initiated among top police officers of the city to find a solution, nothing concrete evolved from the meetings. It’s learnt that the successive state governments have not wanted to change an order issued by V S Achuthanandan-led LDF government that exempted women from night duty except for night guard duty at police stations.
No Pink Patrols after 8 pm though four Pink Police Patrols, exclusive vehicle patrol team of women police personnel, were launched in the city in 2016, these patrol teams usually wind up their duty by 8 pm everyday. Between 8 am and 8 pm, these patrol teams hit the city roads and station at various spots from Ernakulam city, Thrikkakara, Fort Kochi to Tripunithura. Each vehicle has a woman police officer, a driver, and two women civil police officers (CPOs). Senior police officers are yet to take a decision on extending the timing of the patrolling duty of Pink Patrols.