CHENNAI: Facing protests from the lower rung of the force, the welfare department of Tamil Nadu Police launched a new email ID for police personnel to register their grievances. “Police constables from the force who have any grievance or complaint may send it to the email ID,” said the circular from ADGP (welfare) Prateep V Philip.
“This was launched to solve their problems and strengthen the force. All aggrieved personnel may send emails detailing their problems, including family issues if any, and we will take it up with the concerned DGP,” the officer told Express.
This came close on the heels of a poster surfacing on a wall opposite the DC’s office at Mount on June 22, which exhorted all police constables to gather at the State Secretariat on July 6, the day Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami is scheduled to present the demands for grants for the home department before the Assembly.
Two days later, DGP TK Rajendran sent out a confidential alert message to the commissioners, superintendents and heads of all special units, directing them to keep a close watch on social media and other messaging platforms to prevent the circulation of these messages because photographs of the aforementioned poster had gone viral among the force in Tamil Nadu.
“In view of the sensitivity of the subject matter, please gear up your intelligence machinery, motivate the staff and keep the morale high,” Rajendran advised all officers and directed them to update his office on all developments in this regard “without fail”.
The circular from his office informing the personnel about the email to submit their grievances came two days after that. However, this window is unlikely to reduce the murmurs within the force. While it welcomed the personnel to send even their personal issues, the circular insisted that any problem could be raised except transfers and punishments.
“The main complaint from constables is regarding transfers but the circular asks not to raise the issue. Then what is the use of this email ID? If real grievances are not addressed, how can it be called welfare,” questioned a head constable from Ambattur.
Another personnel, a constable posted at Tambaram, pointed out that many of the older personnel were not familiar with the technology to raise the issue over email.
“This email system gives no guarantee that the grievances will be addressed. What we want is a redressal committee that should take care of all grievances,” said an armed police personnel.
According to an additional commissioner rank officer from Chennai City Police, they have been conducting a special grievance camp every Saturday for personnel from constable to sub-inspector level where they receive about 50 petitions every week
“Most of them are about transfers, followed by the request for police quarters. Accommodation is allotted on the basis of seniority. There are nearly 24,000 personnel in Chennai City Police but only 12,000 houses are available in the quarters,” said the officer.