KOCHI: In an attempt to improve the Kerala Police’s image, which has been badly dented by several incidents of high-handness, and to turn the force into a more people-friendly one, the Public Relations Officers (PROs) appointed at police stations will function on the lines of their specialised counterparts in hospitals.The department has decided to put additional focus on improving the skills of PROs after it emerged that the present functioning of the PROs did not yield the desired results.
State police chief Loknath Behera said the PROs in police stations have a vital role in establishing a strong connect with people coming under the jurisdiction of respective stations“We will be giving specific soft skills to the PROs to ensure that they deliver on the key functional areas in a professional manner. We are looking at the key functions of a hospital PRO and the same will be brought in for the benefit of the people. The PROs will help the public visiting police stations for various requirements, including filing complaints and following up on complaints,” Behera added.
The PROs will also be entrusted with the task of informing the public of the services provided by the police free of cost. “In the long run, we are targeting to make each police station a service delivery centre to help people avail efficient police support,” Behera added. By setting up a service delivery centre in all police stations, the department aims to facilitate better interaction and foster partnership between people and police.
We will be giving specific soft skills to the PROs to ensure that they deliver on the key functional areas in a professional manner. We are looking at the key functions of a hospital PRO and the same will be brought in for the benefit of the people. The PROs will help the public visiting police stations for various requirements, including filing complaints and following up on complaints
— Loknath Behera, DGP