Kolkata: Patrol vans in place of kiosks, forensic training for cops to ensure better policing

KOLKATA: The Kolkata Police brass has decided to ring in key changes in the force to increase its visibility and capability, both in maintaining law and order and solving crime.
First, police kiosks that were introduced around a decade ago where policemen from the respective police stations used to initially sit to make the present felt at strategic locations will give way to more intense patrolling.And second, some officers in each police station will be trained in forensics so that they can handle crime scenes better and prevent loss of forensic evidence.

The decision to do away with the kisoks that have been redundant for a few years now was taken at a meeting in Lalbazar on Monday. Police stations have been asked to identify kiosks that are no longer in use or not needed and submit the report to Lalbazar. While the kiosks that are on the main road near key intersections will be handed over to traffic police, others may be dismantled. However, those kiosks that are necessary as a deterrent against anti-social and criminal activity in some locations will continue to function.
The absence of kiosks will be compensated by additional mobile patrolling on PCR vans and patrol bikes.
According to an officer, several kiosks were not required now as many localities are under patrolling and monitoring through CCTV. “In addition to a locked and unused police kiosk sending the wrong signal to the public as though cops are not active, even if someone needs to be stationed, it can be done in PCR vans that can respond to a crisis quicker,” he said.
At police stations, small groups will undergo basic training in forensics to ensure that no evidence gets damaged or erased due to negligence before the experts reach the crime scene.
The decision to make cops forensic literate is part of the modernization programme. The Kolkata wing of forensic science is in charge of conducting examinations of Kolkata Police, Howrah City Police and Bidhannagar City Police. But due to acute staff crunch at present, attending incident spots promptly is not possible. Thus, preservation of evidence holds the key.
Under the initiative, a senior officer of each division will select two officers from each police station who will then undergo a training session on how to collect evidence for forensic examination and how to preserve an incident spot before experts visit them. If required, officers will have to take photographs of the spot.