Sealed stations: Covid takes a toll on policing

Mangaluru: The rising number of police personnel testing Covid-19 positive in the district leading to the sealing down of police stations, will have serious repercussions on policing in the district, said police officials in Dakshina Kannada. “However, we are leaving no stones unturned,” they added.
So far, 16 cops including an ACP rank official have tested positive in Mangaluru Commissionerate alone and are undergoing treatment at designated hospitals. About 14 police personnel are placed under home quarantine and police stations in Ullal and Bajpe are sealed down. In Dakshina Kannada District Police limits, Vittal Police Station was sealed down, while a staff from women police station in Puttur tested positive on Thursday.
“We always mingle with people and now at this time it’s a risky affair. In spite of taking enough safety measures, both at work and personal level, there is no full guarantee that we are safe. With many of our colleagues testing positive for coronavirus, we are apprehensive, but we are not giving up,” says a senior police officer speaking on the condition of anonymity.
A woman police officer said SOPs have been issued to police officials. “But it is difficult these days to arrest an accused and keep him at the police station. Once an arrested accused has to undergo mandatory test, till his results are out, he/she has to be housed at the jurisdictional station. It is like we are walking on a double edged sword. If an accused escapes, it puts us in trouble,” she added. Justifying her claims, it was only few days ago that a cop attached to Bajpe police station contracted Covid-19 from two men arrested on suspicion of cattle smuggling.
Meanwhile, the sealing down of police stations is also causing inconvenience to the general public.
However, top brass in Mangaluru city and DK District Police are confident that policing will not take a back seat. “Policing is a part of the civil society and it is necessary — be it during a law and order issue or pandemic. The police will make no compromise when it comes to quality of policing,” said Mangaluru city police commissioner Vikash Kumar Vikash. He said that apart from ensuring safety of police personnel, the department is also making sure their families are safe. “We are distributing masks, sanitisers and gloves to the families of our staff too,” added Vikash.
SP B M Laxmi Prasad said the DK police are doing enough home work to stop criminal activities.
“The recent burglaries reported in Dakshina Kannada are committed by locals. Most of the borders are sealed and there is no movement of trains or other public transport and so it is not easy to commit crimes and run away,” he stressed.
In order to keep the cops safe, DK district police have adopted 10 days’ work and three days of holiday policy.
“Under this policy, a team will work outdoors for 10 days and take three days of leave and the next team takes over. The teams will not mingle with staff who work inside the police stations,” he explained.