Counselling for ‘problematic’ policemen in Visakhapatnam

VISAKHAPATNAM:  Marpu, a counselling centre is now extending its services to police personnel. It is noticed that over a period of time, a few police personnel have taken to drinking and some have become habitual absenteeism. This impairs the functioning of the department as less number of persons are available for duties. Disciplinary action doesn’t give the desired result in many cases.

Very often there is manifestation of certain behavioural pattern such as abuses/ not dealing with public properly among others in those persons, according to a release here on Saturday An alternative method of transforming these personnel through counselling has been taken up under MARPU programme as per the directions of Commissioner of Police Manish Kumar Sinha. Senior police officials along with a psychologist and a NGO formed the panel.

Six persons attended counselling at the MARPU centre. One of them was immediately referred to the de-addiction centre as he was depressed and crying, the release said.