THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has warned the police officers against engaging civil police officers or camp followers for their personal work. Supervisory lapses of senior officers had led to various controversial issues recently, he told a meeting of police officers in the rank of SPs and above here on Tuesday.
The officers should ensure that they engaged police personnel for personal security duties only as per their eligibility, he said and added that the police personnel should not be made to do any personal jobs. The controversies over police officers engaging police personnel for home duties had damaged the government’s image, he said.
In view of the increasing number of allegations and complaints of police lapses, the Chief Minister also suggested that the scope of setting up a centralised control room for the public to report such issues may be considered. Citing that supervisory lapses of senior officers had led to many unfortunate incidents (like Varapuzha custodial death and Kevin’s death), he said that the government would not show any leniency towards such lapses.
He advised the police officers that they should not be affected by the adverse media reports on policing, provided they ensure that there was no lapses from their part. The police officers pointed out the practical difficulties being caused by the decision to make circle-inspectors station house officers in a few police stations.
