KANNIYAKUMARI: Five months ago, when a 2020-batch IPS officer took charge as the Superintendent of Police in Kanniyakumari district, none of the residents expected anything beyond the ordinary. Unlike Kollywood, where sturdy police officers enthral the masses with action-packed entrances, the SP office in Nagercoil remained calm on January 3 this year, welcoming its new captain, in line with all the usual protocols. Fast forward to June, SP R Stalin is now a household name among the residents.
A native of Arpakkam village in Kancheepuram, this 31-year-old officer, who regularly meets police personnel to address their grievances, has so far devised at least five initiatives — Public Feedback Centre, Village Monitoring Scheme, Nimir (The Rising Team), Manam Thiranthu (Mind Opens), and Vettri Pathai (Path to Success) — for the general public as well as police personnel.
Spotting the rise in crimes against children and women in the district, the SP, who had earlier served as the deputy commissioner in Coimbatore (North), began prioritising the safety of women and children. This led to the birth of ‘Nimir’, an intensive Pocso (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act awareness team comprising trained women police personnel. The team visits villages and interior areas to spread awareness among women and children, and helps them access victims’ compensation and other benefits. The team, so far, has prevented three child marriages within the span of a few months.
“My father Ramakrishnan, a farmer, was the one who motivated me to become an IPS officer and serve the society. He used to frequently visit book fairs and purchase books for me,” recollects Stalin.
In a bid to ensure public grievances are addressed appropriately, the SP, who never fails to receive petitions at his office, created a public feedback centre in the District Police Petition unit manned by police personnel. The centre dials each and every petitioner and asks for feedback regarding their petitions or inquires. If a petitioner is not satisfied, then the petition will be assigned to a different inquiry officer. “The SP has received over 4,500 petitions directly within five months,” said a police officer.
For educationalist Rani S Martin, who had submitted two complaints with the SP in person and via mail, the public feedback centre has been beneficial in learning the progress of her complaints. “After lodging the complaints, officers reached out to me and enquired about whether I was satisfied with the action taken by officials concerned with regard to my petitions,” she said.
Stalin also spearheads a teaching venture offering free training for sub-inspector examination for youth at the Kanniyakumari District Armed Forces Community Welfare Centre. The goal is simple: create honest officers who can maintain the goodwill between police and the public. He also provides funds to buy books to SI aspirants.
“The free coaching, offered by experts and experienced police officers, has helped me a lot to prepare for the SI exam. It has been a motivation for many youths,” said M Muhammad Tahseen, who joined the coaching sessions after completing PG. Without sticking to the ranking protocols, the SP meets with the officers and police personnel of his office daily (in the morning) to discuss ideas for improving police-public relations.
For instance, a medical camp organised for the police personnel found that several of the officers, particularly traffic cops, suffered from varicose veins. Learning about this, the SP took steps to arrange facilities for the traffic police personnel to remain seated, while on duty, during less traffic hours. Besides, umbrella barricades were set up and stockings were provided to the most-affected personnel. The SP also launched ‘Village Monitoring Scheme’ across the district, under which a constable has been appointed for each village in Kanniyakumari. Police personnel will visit their assigned villages thrice a week to conduct community events and build amicable relations with villagers under their jurisdiction.
In addition to these initiatives under his official capacity, sources said Stalin also supports elderly homes and shelters for children, with his personal funds, and promotes sports activities in the locality.
“Stalin is a boon for the people of Kanniyakumari as he is not only maintaining law and order, but pushing his boundaries for serving the people more,” said advocate O Homer Lal, a social activist.
(Edited by Arya A J)