As many as 28 police personnel at the Vazhakkulam station within the Muvattupuzha sub-division of the Ernakulam Rural police have been sent into quarantine, further driving home the danger of exposing the entire workforce to the pandemic simultaneously.
A writer at the station was initially tested positive in the antibody test for policemen, and a subsequent test of his swab samples confirmed that he was indeed infected. This sent all, except four of his colleagues who were away on airport duty, into quarantine. The station is now being run by 10 men deployed from a special unit at Aluva.
The State Police Chief had on more than one occasion directed to follow a rotational work arrangement, whereby 50% of the strength of every station was kept as reserve at any given time.
In fact, District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural) K. Karthik had issued a circular on July 13, directing the enforcement of this arrangement in all stations within the rural limits.
According to the circular, 50% of the workforce was to do continuous duty for a week and was to be replaced by the other half after a week. This was in the wake of the surge in cases in Aluva and nearby areas, which were shortly declared as clusters. However, the arrangement was dropped abruptly.
“Every department is working in full swing in the fight against the pandemic, and the police could not be any exception. The force was getting stretched with their ever-increasing responsibilities like enforcement of physical distancing, monitoring of the quarantined, contact-tracing, and enforcement of lockdown and curfew in containment zones. Even during normal times, it was tough to cope with current staff strength, and these are extraordinary times, and it was near impossible to do with half the workforce,” said Mr. Karthik.
Even non-COVID duties are on the rise with the increasing incidents of crime.
A Kerala Police Association office-bearer, while admitting that the 50:50 work arrangement was not practical considering the burden on the force, said at least one-third of the staff in every station could have been kept on reserve. This could have averted a situation like the one at the Vazhakkulam station where every single person had to go into quarantine.
However, Mr. Karthik pointed out that even then the functioning of the station was not disrupted, as replacements were provided.
