The Kozhikode Town Station that secured the title of the first ISO 9001:2008 certified police station in the State in 2011 is all set to update its status further by achieving the tag of city’s first women and child-friendly police station. Work is in full swing to dedicate two spacious rooms at the station with all facilities to make women complainants and their children feel at home.
Station House Officer R. Rajeesh says there will be an exclusive women’s help desk, feeding space for mothers, play area for kids, sufficient number of comfort stations and resting area. Any other additional arrangements, if needed, will be considered on request of visitors after the opening of the facility by the end of this month, he adds.
The station has been in the news for piloting a number of creative initiatives including model gardening and ‘Janamaithri Suraksha’ projects. The special aid for the model station comes under a State-level infrastructure modification plan mooted by the Home Department with the support of the United Nation’s International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). Altogether, six police stations, including the Town station, will get the aid to complete the work.
Along with the infrastructure upgrade, police personnel at stations too will be given special training for addressing grievances of women and children in a more humane way. Resource persons designated by the UNICEF will coordinate the training programme in all the women and child-friendly stations.
The Town police station has a strength of 89 police officials, including members from the Special Forces, of which nine are women. The women police officers will coordinate the new initiative at the station.
The station was considered for implementing the project based on its performance in dealing with various complaints related to women and children. On completion of the infrastructure upgrade, a set of 21 indicators mentioned in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act will be ensured in the functioning of the station.
