Kerala - Kochi   

A window to the police force

KOCHI: The police force is going through a reformation process. It is trying hard to shed its image of brutality and move closer to the public. In this context, the book Policum Janangalum (Police and the public) by P.C. Kunjukunju, assistant sub-inspector, Kochi City Control Room, attains a new dimension of meaning.

The book was released by Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan recently. “The basic idea behind writing this book was to improve the relationship between the force and the public. Originally, I had the title ‘how to become a better police’ in mind,” says the author.

In 16 chapters, Mr. Kunjukunju attempts to cover all aspects related to the police, right from history to the official signs and differences in uniforms worn by officers of various ranks.

In between, he drops in suggestions on how to go about the reformation of the force and how to ward off the menace of corruption.

In his foreword to the book, Alexander Jacob, Inspector General of Police and Director of the Police Academy, Thrissur, notes that Mr. Kunjukunju could draw from his experience as an office-bearer of the Kerala Police Association, when he was part of the constabulary, and later as the office-bearer of the Kerala Police Officers’ Association.

The Kerala Police has the potential of emerging as a force matching international standards, a model to the rest of the State forces, as there are nearly 8,000 graduates and 1,500 post-graduates employed in the force, not to mention those in the constabulary with doctorates.

The recent batch of trainees has four engineering graduates, says Dr. Jacob.

The book advocates changes in attitude and outlook of the force in accordance with the changing times.

All these concepts are there in the basic principles of the force, but were corrupted to suit the demands of rulers. This has been happening since colonial times, says Mr. Kunjukunju.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

A window to the police force
Environment award
Summer train
Death sentence for murder
Government files review petition HIGH COURT ROUND-UP
Youth dies in accident at railway station
Chavara Fest from Monday
Minister seeks increase in sale of lottery tickets
Constructions on canal stopped
Three held for robbing newspaper employee
Warning on use of fireworks
Farmers opting out of Pokkali cultivation
In Kochi Today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu