Thiruvananthapuram: Chief minister V D Satheesan on Friday launched the ‘My Police Station’ project at Peroorkada police station. It is aimed at making police stations more accessible, professional and citizen-friendly.Satheesan said the initiative should help the police earn public trust, just as Operation Toofan had strengthened the fight against drugs. While the officers should behave courteously, lawbreakers must know that they would be tracked down and brought to justice, he said. Policing methods must also evolve as criminals adopt increasingly sophisticated techniques and the nature of crime changes, he added.Home minister Ramesh Chennithala, who presided over the function, said the project would transform the appearance and functioning of police stations so that citizens could proudly call them ‘my police station’. Police services would be improved through greater professionalism and optimum use of technology while fully respecting citizens’ dignity.Under the project, police stations will be transformed into citizen-friendly service centres with clean premises and a welcoming atmosphere. Dedicated help desks will handle general complaints, cybercrime cases and legal assistance, while separate desks will cater to women, children, senior citizens, transgender persons and persons with disabilities.Chennithala said Kerala’s police system was a model for the country but required further reform. Govt intended to eliminate illegal practices such as third-degree interrogation and turn police stations into models of modern democratic policing. Training programmes and related action plans had already begun, he added.Health minister K Muraleedharan, mayor V V Rajesh, state police chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar and senior home department and police officers attended the function.
