The Hindu : National : A `dream' police station which attracts visitors from far and wide

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National

National

A `dream' police station which attracts visitors from far and wide

Sunny Sebastian

The Shipra Path station in Jaipur has been adjudged the best in the world on several criteria by a global team

— Photo: Gopal Sunger

MODEL STATION: A view of the Shipra Path police station in Jaipur.

JAIPUR: There is a steady flow of visitors, carrying sweets and flowers, to the Shipra Path police station in the Mansarovar area here. Though the flowers are accepted with a smile, the sweets are politely turned down.

For this is one police station where the personnel do not accept gifts, even if offered as a token of affection and appreciation.

The 54-strong police team, lead by Station House Officer Sunil Kumar Punia, is very special.

The members do not drink tea, chew or smoke tobacco or consume alcohol. Bribes are a big no.

Each person in the team, even subordinates, are addressed respectfully with the siffix "ji"; else a fine of Rs. 10 has to be paid.

Manicured lawns

It was for these reasons that the station, situated in a 4,000 sq m area sporting manicured lawns and exotic roses, was adjudged the "top station" by a global team, coordinated by the Altus Global Alliance, early this month. It was among the five short-listed during the Police Station Visitors Week, organised by Altus and police and civil society organisations from October 26 to November 4, 2006.

Over 2,000 persons in 23 countries visited local police stations during the visitor's week to assess the services available.

At a ceremony in the City Hall Hague in the presence of the Mayor and representatives from various embassies, a five-member jury announced the Shipra Path station as the "global station." The judgment was preceded by a 20-minute presentation by Mr. Punia.

Asia's juror for the Altus Alliance, Richard Aborn visited the station in March.

What Mr. Aborn, criminal lawyer and president of the Citizens' Crime Commission, New York, was looking for and noticed was community orientation, physical condition, treatment of the public, transparency and accountability, and detention conditions.

He went on record to express his appreciation, saying, "I have not seen a police station like this anywhere in the world."

"For about a year, we forgot everything, including our families, and got busy in improving ourselves and the conditions at the police station," head constable Phool Singh said.

Image change

"People generally consider police the worst aspect of society. We have tried to change that image," said Mr. Punia, who had just finished talking to a group of Rajasthan Police Service recruits when this correspondent visited the station.

"The award was not our dream. Our dream was to change the image of the police."

Not surprisingly, the Shipra Path station has become a new destination for visitors from far and wide. The Haryana police is reportedly planning to adopt the station as a model, while the Madhya Pradesh police brass had a "dekko" recently.

Visitors include groups of children from neighbouring schools and women from the locality dropping in during an evening walk!

Ford Foundation initially funded Altus, an NGO based in The Hague.

Altus Global Alliance is a partnership of six NGOs and academic centres from Brazil, Canada, the United States, India, Nigeria and Russia.

Launched in 2004, it is dedicated to the cause of fundamental reforms in the area of criminal justice through sharing of knowledge tools and advice.

It was in 2006 that Altus organised for the first time a programme to identify and recognise police stations that are centres of excellence and people-friendly too.

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