- India
- International
In a first, women police personnel have been appointed to beats and sub-divisions in Delhi’s Central district, giving them more responsibility in controlling street crimes as well as offences against women and children. Until now, only male staff have been deployed in beats and sub-divisions across the city’s 15 districts.
DCP (Central) Shweta Chauhan told The Indian Express, “We have now started a pathbreaking initiative by deploying all-women staff in earmarked beats and divisions at every police station in the Central district for traditional policing to curb crime and ensure safety and security of citizens.” The DCP added that they will be referred to as ‘Prashakti Beat Staff’.
“We have also formed a ‘Veera Squad’ of women police personnel. Both teams will be deployed for intensive patrolling to control street crime and crimes against women, children. They will perform visible patrolling at sensitive areas on Emergency Response Vehicles, Quick Response Teams vehicles, motorcycles, and scooters to control crime and make streets safer,” she said.
#JUSTIN:For the first time in Delhi Police,the women police personnel have been appointed in the beats and sub-divisions of the Central district to control street crime. They have also formed Veera Squad and made Pink police booth. @IndianExpress,@ieDelhi pic.twitter.com/tDseawk4VU
— Mahender Singh Manral (@mahendermanral) October 22, 2021
Chauhan said the idea behind the two squads is to bring women officers to the forefront: “Crime prevention and detection were earlier considered male bastions. We will now see increased participation of women officers at every level of policing. We are hoping they will play an important role in prevention, detection and investigation of robbery, snatching, pick-pocketing, burglary and organised crime.”
Earlier, women officers were deployed mainly for sensitisation of women and children and for tackling crime against women.
“In the Central district, we have also deployed them in beats to handle hardcore crime… Women staff have also been posted in the district’s cyber cell and special staff,” Chauhan said.
The DCP said they have also set up a ‘Pink Booth’ manned by women staff in Karol Bagh to resolve grievances of locals. “We have created this booth to provide a safe complaint redressal mechanism for women and girls in busy market areas that they frequent,” she added.