The announcement of a weekly off for the police force in the State came as a source of much joy for the policemen in the city.
Satish Kumar, who works as a police constable at Anakapalle Town Police Station, said the news came as a huge surprise for his family. “My wife and children were overjoyed that I would be spending the entire day with them. We spent the day talking to each other and had lunch together after ages,” Mr. Satish told The Hindu, adding that he was planning on taking the children out to a nearby park in the evening.
With the weekly off system officially being implemented on Wednesday, around 440 policemen from the Visakhapatnam City Police and 350 from the Rural Police got to take their weekly offs on the first day.
There are around 3,200 policemen working in various wings under the Visakhapatnam City Police Commissionerate. According to City Police Commissioner Mahesh Chandra Laddha, the weekly off system was brought under implementation since last Friday in Visakhapatnam as part of a trial run and have now started to officially implement it following instructions from the State government.
Planning ahead
“We have planned the weekly off system for every department in a way that about 440 policemen will be availing their off every day. There would not be any impediment to law and order, traffic and other functions in the department”, Mr Laddha said.
According to officials, the weekly off system would be modified in several departments that are facing a staff crunch.
“There are over 400 traffic policemen (from CI-rank to constables and other staff). Even though we are facing a staff shortage, weekly offs are being planned well. If one does not get an off on some busy day, he would be allotted some other day in the week through coordination. We are ensuring that every policemen will get a day off in a week. In most of the stations, there are around two CIs, so there is no issue with higher-rank officers taking weekly offs,” said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP-Traffic) M. Ramesh Babu.
Much-needed respite
Mr. Laddha said that the weekly off system has brought more joy to the families of the policemen than to the policemen themselves.
“I personally interacted with the families of a few policemen who availed weekly offs. They are very happy. They said that their children and other family members are able to spend free time with this dedicated weekly off system. We will also make sure that even higher-rank officers will take some rest on Sundays or some holidays,” Mr. Laddha said.
Superintendent of Police (Visakhapatnam Rural) Attada Babujee said that one-seventh of the total 2,500 policemen will be availing off per day in Visakhapatnam District Police. Mr. Babujee also said that the police and their family members are very happy with the decision.
“Police job is always stressful. Having a weekly off and spending time with family will definitely give cops a break,” he said.
Mr. Babujee added that even in Maoist areas, they are giving weekly offs by adjusting staff posting. There would not be any change in police operations, he said.