The Hindu : CM calls for change in mindset of police force

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 24, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

CM calls for change in mindset of police force

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM April 23. The Chief Minister, A. K. Antony, has stressed the need for changing the mindset of the police force while dealing with the people and tackling the law and order situation.

Speaking after commissioning Kerala Police's communication backbone at a function organised here on Tuesday, Mr. Antony said the

modernisation of the police force by providing modern training, weapons, communication facilities and by creating infrastructure facilities alone will not yield the desired results.

``The mindset of the police force should change first. It should take place first among the police officers. The change should be from the top to the bottom,'' he added.

The Chief Minister said the force would be modernised in the next three years and the Government's aim is to make the Kerala police the number one trained and modern force in the country. Promising all assistance to the police force in the modernisation project, Mr. Antony said the welfare of the police personnel would also be given due importance by the Government.

The Chief Minister said the new recruits who have joined the force are highly qualified and hoped that they can perform the responsibilities with proper training and good working conditions. Mr. Antony said those in the police force should have a mission and reminded them to be friendly with the people.

The Government had already decided to reserve 10 per cent of the jobs in the police force for women. Mr. Antony hoped that this would change the complexion of the Kerala police in the coming days.

Mr. Antony also sent messages through the communication backbone and talked to the Inspector General of Police at North Zone.

He also released the Standard Operating Manual for the communication backbone by handing it to the Project Officer and the Rural Superintendent of Police, Ashok Yadav.

The Director General of Police, M. K. Joseph, who presided over the function, said the communication backbone was one of the silent things being implemented by the force amidst the criticism raised from various quarters.

The communication backbone will be the basis for the computerisation of the police force.

Vijay Sakhare, who was initially the project officer for the communication backbone, said in his presentation that all forms of communication channels being adopted by the police force at present will be withdrawn within the next two weeks.

The backbone, is a wide area network offering connectivity to the police station level using leased and ISDN lines and with the central server at Kochi.

The backbone, which will facilitate transmission of voice, data and video, will have unified channel of communication. It can offer online file management, crime, criminal record keeping and online administration.

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