CHENNAI: The 11th National Conference of Women in Police (NCWP) concluded at the Tamil Nadu Police Academy Auditorium on Wednesday with a strong focus on gender-inclusive reforms and welfare measures for women in policing.
The two-day conference, jointly hosted by Tamil Nadu Police and Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), saw the passage of key resolutions aimed at reshaping recruitment, training, and working conditions for woman officers across the country, which were read out by Seema Agarwal, Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services.
Among the major resolutions passed were the demand for 30% reservation for women in all police recruitments, joint training for male and female officers, and routine posting of newly-recruited women to all police wings. The need for more woman outdoor trainers, flexible scheduling, weekly offs, and equitable transfer and leave policies was also emphasised.
The conference urged the central government to fund research on women in policing, crimes against women and protection of children and senior citizens.
In his valedictory address, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin highlighted Tamil Nadu’s leadership in inclusive policing, pointing out that 43% of law and order police stations in the state are headed by female Station House Officers. He lauded the Navaratna welfare measures launched by Chief Minister M K Stalin in 2023, which include rest rooms, lodging, self-defence training for women police officers under the AVAL initiative, and awards for excellence for policewomen.
Tamil Nadu police began formally recruiting women in 1973, starting with a 22-member all-woman unit. Today, the force has grown to nearly 27,000 women, making it one of the largest in India, he added.