KOCHI: The police department has launched a massive crackdown against the drug trade in the state. But while the police force is going all guns blazing (not literally, of course) against drugs, it is struggling to set its officers who have a drinking problem on the right course.
Top sources in the force reveal that a large number of their officers in the state have severe drinking problems and are having a hard time “quitting the bottle”. According to unofficial data based on an intra-departmental assessment, about 15 per cent of officers are ‘occasional drinkers’. That’s no shocker, considering the state’s romance with liquor.
But what’s worrying is that nearly 25 per cent of the personnel have a drinking problem. “In fact, there seems to be a need to take some of them to deaddiction centres,” says a top officer, requesting anonymity. The issue of police officers struggling with drinking problems came back into the spotlight after two officers were caught boozing during office hours in Kochi. On Saturday, the city police commissioner suspended Meghanathan and Rajesh, both from the Armed Reserve Camp.
A few months ago, KP Shaji, an additional sub-inspector of Santhanpara police station in Idukki, was suspended for allegedly dancing under the influence of alcohol during the Pooppara Mariamman temple festival. The video of the officer’s dance had gone viral on social media.
“Liquor consumption among police officers is now on the rise at an alarming rate,” says the senior officer. “Even some officers who recently joined the force are heavy drinkers.” Concerned by this unhealthy trend, the Ernakulam rural police has decided to conduct an internal probe to identify heavy drinkers in khaki.
“Following the suicide of two officers, the Ernakulam rural SP decided to prepare a list of officers having a drinking problem,” says an officer with the unit. “Though the officers cite work stress as the reason for consuming alcohol, in reality, they have a problem.”
The officer notes that his colleagues who drink excessively spend the nights at the police quarters or in the station. “This way, it is easy for them to avoid being confronted by their families,” he says. “Since policing is a 24-hour job, they can easily convince their family members that they have to stay at the station or quarters. Some of them stay at the station even after their shift gets over.”
The senior officer opines that such police personnel should be removed from service through compulsory retirement. “We do not require such officers in the department,” he says. “The Special Branch, intelligence wing, and even station house officers are equally responsible; they should flag cases of addiction among their colleagues. If they report to seniors concerned, the officers having a drinking problem can be intercepted before it worsens.”
Popular psychiatrist Dr C J John, who is a member of the Kerala Mental Health Authority, notes an increase in the number of officers found having a high content of alcohol or other drugs during blood tests. “I’ve been approached by a number of officers who are seeking to quit drinking. They develop the habit due to a number of factors. One of the main causes is lack of work-life balance in the police force,” he says.
“A majority of them are required to work overtime, and their tasks are demanding. In comparison with other jobs, police officers spend less quality time with their families. The government needs to develop appropriate and adequate policies for ensuring officers’ health and helping them deal with stress.”
A look at some recent incidents where the action was initiated after police officers were found drunk while on duty
‘Probe into drug abuse within force needed’
A top source in the police reveals that there are concerns over officers abusing synthetic drugs, too. “A detailed probe is needed to identify drug abusers in the department,” he says. The senior officer cites a case in which a civil police officer was arrested in a drug bust by the excise in Idukki last year. The policeman, M J Shanavas, 32, a resident of Thodupuzha, was attached to the Armed Reserve Camp in Idukki. A team led by Thodupuzha Excise Inspector Dileep had found MDMA and ganja in a car parked suspiciously near a paddy field at Muthalakodam.
Kannur
A senior officer attached to Dharmadam police station in Kannur was suspended after a video of him verbally abusing and misbehaving with an elderly woman and her son allegedly while in an inebriated condition went viral on social media. According to reports, the officer, K Smitesh, misbehaved with the woman when she went to the station to bail her elder son out.
Idukki
An additional sub-inspector attached to the Santhanpara police station in Idukki was suspended after a video of him dancing at a temple festival in Pooppara while drunk went viral on social media. After the video, in which the officer, K P Shaji, could be seen dancing to the tunes of a song being played at the temple during its festival, surfaced online, the special branch launched a probe. Based on the investigation report, DIG (Kochi range) A Srinivas initiated action against
the officer.
Thiruvananthapuram
A police personnel was suspended for assaulting a woman in Thiruvananthapuram. Suresh, who is attached to the Armed Reserve camp and worked as a driver at the Cantonment police station, was placed under suspension for allegedly manhandling a woman in Kattakada. He was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
Kochi
Two officers from the Kochi city police were suspended after they were found consuming alcohol during work hours. Meghanathan and Rajesh, both from the Kochi AR camp, were suspended by the Kochi city police commissioner on Saturday. Based on the information, Meghanathan and Rajesh were placed under surveillance on the instructions of the DCP and the commissioner and caught red-handed.
Kottayam
A police officer posted on Sabarimala duty at Erumeli was suspended for consuming alcohol. Kottayam district police chief suspended ASI Sreenath of Ettumanoor station. A video of him controlling traffic under the influence of alcohol was widely circulated on social media. After being alerted by the locals, the Erumeli police arrived at the spot and removed Srinath. The Kottayam District Special Branch has been tasked with a probe into the incident.