After two of their Officers In-charge were recently dismissed on account of insensitive behaviour with plaintiffs, Ranchi police are trying to establish a caring image by appointing women munshis (clerks) in police stations of the city.
After an orientation session on Sunday, more than 30 female police clerks are ready to join the police force. They are expected to report for duty within a day or two, police officials informed.
In the session chaired by Hatia Assistant Superintendent of Police Prashant Anand and his Kotwali counterpart Anshuman Kumar, the newly-recruited female police clerks were told about the dos and don’ts of their job. They were instructed in the structure of documents they are supposed to file and ways they are supposed to assist their OCs in.
A position conventionally occupied by men, munshis are constable-rank officials responsible for registering FIRs, relaying wireless messages to the OCs and documentation work at a police station. They also happen to be the police officials complainants have to interact with as they enter a police station.
“The primary objective behind this step is to raise the level of sensitivity at police stations. We wish that police personnel work with more compassion towards the public,” Hatia ASP stated.
“This will also make women more comfortable as they come to police stations to get their complaints filed. There are some matters which women are shy to share with male policemen or do not come to police station at all for such matters. Presence of a policewoman will definitely help in getting such cases registered,” he added.
This will also be helpful in putting an end to accusations of corrupt behaviour usually associated with policemen. “Being women, they are less likely to be dishonest with their duties or to be pegged as corrupt police personnel. This will another objective we intend this move to satisfy,” Anand said.
These female police clerks will be made proficient in modern technical aspects of police work. Some of them are already well-versed with Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS), whereas others will be instructed about handling CCTNS, if need be, stated Anand.
This initiative will also increase the participation of fairer sex in lower level constabulary of Ranchi police. And their numbers will increase too.
“Considering the performance of the present batch, the number of female police clerks will be increased in coming days,” stated Kotwali ASP Anshuman Kumar.