Police to have centralised quarantine facilities

Primary and secondary contacts among personnel to be shifted to them

July 25, 2020 11:34 pm | Updated 11:34 pm IST - KOCHI

Centralised quarantine facilities for police personnel have been identified within the city and rural limits, as the police, being on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19, remain highly vulnerable.

Primary and secondary contacts among police personnel will be moved into these facilities.

Circular from SPC

In a circular issued on July 15, the State Police Chief (SPC) had asked District Police Chiefs to earmark one barrack complete with mess facilities for quarantining police personnel. Initially, the facility will be run using the existing funds before funds are allocated from the Police Welfare Bureau, the circular said.

“We have identified a private building at Perumbavoor with toilet facilities, since we didn’t have an ideal barrack that could be converted into a quarantine facility. Already five police personnel are being quarantined there. The number of beds can be increased, if need be,” said K. Karthik, District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural).

Similarly, the City police have also identified a private hall on TD Road for quarantining police personnel. Deputy Police Commissioner (Kochi City) G. Poonguzhali inspected the facility that can accommodate around 50 persons.

COVID-19 panel

The City and Rural police have also formed the District/Battalion Police COVID-19 Management Committee to assist and monitor the quarantine facilities. It comprises the District Police Chief or Battalion Commandant, as case may be, Additional Superintendent of Police or Deputy Police Commissioner, DySPs of special units and president or secretary of police service associations.

N.V. Nishad, district secretary of Kerala Police Association, said the centralised quarantine facility was long overdue, especially for men who could not afford home quarantine, as many of them have young families.

Demands

The district association is set to place at least two demands before the newly formed management committee. “One-third of the force in every police station should be put on reserve, as it will help avoid a situation where police stations have to be closed down in the event of the entire force having to go into quarantine,” he added.

He also called for a turn system restricting duty time of police personnel to insulate them from exhaustive long working hours.

“Unlike in the initial stages during the complete lockdown when any potential contact by police personnel with infected persons was remote, things have reached a state where such a contact is possible anywhere any time,” said Mr. Nishad.

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