The Delhi Police is reportedly in the process of designating Juvenile Welfare Officers (JWOs) in each of its 162 police stations across the city. Currently, only six police stations have designated JWOs in Delhi. The matter came to light at a recent high-level meeting where Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma also issued a series of directions for introducing other welfare measures for the force.
When a senior officer informed the commissioner that only six police stations were having designated JWOs, Kumar said standing orders of the court should be immediately examined on this matter. He said if the order stated that there should be a JWO exclusively to deal with juveniles only, then the police force should act accordingly. He reportedly suggested that each police station should have a JWO, whose phone number should be made available so that s/he can be reached any time for carrying out investigations. He even suggested to devise a monthly system with the help of the NGOs for training of the JWOs.
On the issue of the security of the Juvenile Homes, Verma directed the Joint Commissioners of each range to visit these homes to access their security needs. Also, he directed his officers to collect and analyse phone call data received from children by the Thana level Committees.
The police chief gave directions that accountability of the supervisory officers should be fixed for the involvement of their subordinate staff in any illegal activity. He emphasised that all supervisory officers need to be very alert and they should meticulous keep track of their staff on duty hours.
Verma directed his officers to provide force for carrying out demolitions and displacements of encroachments on public land. But he made it clear that in case of unauthorised constructions, force should be provided only after assessment report is prepared with the help of the Special Branch and the same is sent to the Police Headquarters.
Verma directed his officers to accord top priority for repairing residential complexes and police stations which were in a bad condition. He instructed that infrastructure of the force’s nine community halls should also be improved. Besides, he said the Central Hall of the Malviya Nagar Police station should be thrown open to the families of his personnel for organising birthday parties and other functions. He told his officers to contact Mother Dairy and Safal outlet authorities so that they could allot their shops to the retired police officers. He said even Axis bank should be approached to employ retired police personnel to guard their ATMs.
Also, the police head ordered the Special Commissioner (Training) to constitute a group of four to five officers who could be taught de-stress techniques. He directed the Special Commissioner (Welfare) to collect the details from the Special Commissioner (Training) for organising workshops on de-stress and counselling for the families of his personnel living in police colonies.