Kerala Police: A model policing paradigm in handling COVID-19

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 21: Kerala has been a role model in the fight against coronavirus. The Kerala government has been recognised and acclaimed globally for its adept handling in treating and containing the spread of coronavirus in the state.

The "Kerala Model" is now a matter of international research and study. The efficacy of the Health wing of the State, the capabilities of the Doctors, Medical infrastructure facilities, Educational and social consciousness are cited as reasons, in this success story.

Similarly, the timely lockdown is stated to be the main reason that helped the State in containment. The Kerala Police made this possible and enforced a successful lockdown.

The role of Kerala Police, the law and order arm of the Government, has been tremendous, not only in maintaining order in the society, but into a variety of unknown areas, to bolster the efforts of the State Government.

From day one, the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, understood and insisted, that the police has to play a very active and frontline role in handling this pandemic. He tasked the State Police Chief Loknath Behera, with a variety of tasks which were traditionally and conventionally outside the purview of traditional policing.

The lockdown brought police to the forefront of the efforts of the Government, to control the spread of the disease and the Kerala Police under the State Police Chief, Loknath Behera immediately rose up to the occasion and delivered on all fronts.

Not enlisted in SOPs:

The Police response to a pandemic was not enlisted in the SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) which the police falls back, in times of crisis. Faced with a totally new problem, with no past experience, the rank and file fell into the grind to ensure that the instructions of lockdown are implemented in letter and spirit. But what made Kerala Police different is the manner in which the lockdown was ensured. Through purely legal means, high voltage awareness campaigns and seeking the cooperation of the citizens, the police implemented a near total lockdown to ensure that the virus was completely arrested.

The implementation of the lockdown norms was the easy part. The police ventured into a variety of functions and roles traditionally done by the other wings of the Government. Building social awareness against the spread of the disease was one major task and negating false news was another. Understanding the impact of social media in a digital state like Kerala, the Cyber Wing of the Police had tightened vigil on social media, from day one. The Police were very quick to identify fake and misleading news and posts and more than 150 cases were registered all across the State in this regard. Arrests of more than 106 persons followed. This gave a deterrent effect on the spread of fake and unverified messages on social media.

Going digital:

The social media handles of Kerala police in the past few years have become one of the most popular in the world, for its witty content and tongue-in-cheek responses. One of the most decorated and awarded police force in the area of Digital Technology and Innovations, the Social Media Cell of the Force functioning under Manoj Abraham IPS, ADGP, HQ has played a major role in building up the general image of the Police, and in ensuring the community support for various Initiatives of the police department.

With more than 1.3 million followers on Facebook and a total of more than 2.5 million followers on TikTok, Share chat, Twitter, YouTube etc, the awareness campaigns/videos/trolls etc gained international recognition. They proved that digital technology can be used very effectively in containing not only the typical law and order problems, but also in effectively handling Pandemics also.

Apart from this, under the direct supervision - various senior officers of the state police, the police ventured into the important task of keeping the persons marked under house quarantine within the four walls of their houses, using a slew of digital technological solutions/ Apps, visits by Janamaitri officers, Video call Checking and arresting persons who violated the quarantine.

The police also came out with several digital solutions including a Tele Medicine App in association with IMA for tele-medical consultation for police officers and public alike, a Shopping App- where the citizens can order essential goods online in the period of lockdown, a mobile sanitiser unit for the policemen in the field, a digital platform for obtaining curfew pass, identification platform for guest workers from other States etc. All this went a long way in pushing the police force to the forefront of the government's response.

Surveillance:

The extensive use of drones for surveillance, not only to enforce the lockdown, but also in identifying the production of spurious liquor and sale of drugs, was another feature of the police response, which was soon emulated by the other forces.

The police intervention in the colonies housing the migrant labours (Guest Workers) checking on the facilities given to them, tying up on their provisions, encouraging them and keeping them engaged without any violence, was another feather in the cap of Kerala Police in handling this crisis.

The State Police Chief, who was a part of the daily consultation and State level review meetings, gave correct and valuable inputs to the Crisis management Committee, in taking the right decisions on any emerging issue.

The war against the crisis continues, but the Kerala police has sure stood out with its unique style and innovative functioning. The steps taken by the force has ensured that it is one of the best forces in the country and also a globally acclaimed one.