The Kochi City Police is likely to be elevated to status of Metropolitan Police Force in a month’s time.
After the government order was passed, discussion on the power of the city police commissioner, the jurisdiction of the city police and appointment of commissioner is going on, according to sources in Police Headquarters.
They said the Metropolitan police system has been notified invoking Sections 15(2), 15(3), and 15 (4) of the Kerala Police Act 2011. With this, magisterial powers will be vested on Police Commissioners. A notification will be issued invoking Section 20(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure appointing the Commissioners as Additional District Magistrate and conferring the powers of an Executive Magistrate excluding the powers conferred under Section 3 (2) of the Kerala Police Act,” they said.
With the elevation to the Metropolitan policing system, the jurisdiction of the police will widen. “As per the proposal, Vypeen and Chottanikkara will be brought under the City police limits as they are close to the city. A notification to this effect will be issued soon. By including these police stations, the population limit required for Metropolitan police force can be met,” the police said.On raising City police to Metropolitan status, the IPS officer in the rank of DIG to ADGP would be appointed as Police Commissioner. Sources hinted that chances of appointing an ADGP as Police Commissioner in Kochi was less.
“Discussions on appointing an IGP as the Commissioner of Kochi police are on. Since the incumbent Commissioner is an IPS officer and in the rank of DIG, there are chances of him continuing at the helm of the Kochi City Police,” sources said.