Vikash Kumar is new Mangaluru city police commissioner

MANGALURU: Continuation of best practices of predecessors, especially a directive exempting police personnel aged above 55 from active field duty during the pandemic will be priority for Vikash Kumar Vikash, the 10th city police chief. Succeeding fellow 2004 IPS batchmate P S Harsha, Vikash who was commander, Anti Naxal Force prior to this posting, said ultra-awareness about the pandemic among the public and police is need of the hour.
In an informal chat with TOI after taking charge, Vikash said the priority of the whole world right now is to stop the spread of the pandemic.This priority will be very much factored into how routine policing needs to be carried out so that execution of primary duties of the police does not falter, he said. At the same time, there will be constant reinforcement on the need for policemen at all levels to be safe while discharging their duties, he said.
A post-graduate in economics from Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University, Vikash, a native of Bihar said SOPs laid down by the police top brass will be followed to the last detail to keep the force safe. With policemen, deemed frontline corona warriors bearing the brunt of the pandemic and many of them getting exposed and state also recording fatalities among their ranks, we need to have the rank and file that is fit and raring to go, he noted.
Having started out as assistant superintendent of police at Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada, Vikash has served as superintendent of police in Bengaluru Rural, Haveri, Chikkamagaluru, state intelligence, as deputy commissioner of police (North-East division), Bengaluru City police. His non-policing posting saw him also serve as the director, department of youth affairs and sports and as later as commissioner, department of social welfare.