Kerala Police’s new guidelines give station house officers better control over police stations in Ernakulam Range

Instructions issued to address poor SHO control of police stations in Ernakulam Range in Kerala. SHOs must note down duties in notebooks, carry them while on duty, and submit them to SHO. SDPOs and DPCs must check notebooks and make remarks. SHOs must have computer to make GD entries and SDPOs/DPCs must write about visits in GD.

A set of instructions has been issued to address the perceived poor control of station house officers (SHOs) over the functioning of their police stations in the Ernakulam Range covering Kottayam, Alappuzha, Idukki and Ernakulam Rural.

The subject was discussed in detail during a monthly crime review meeting chaired by the Ernakulam Range DIG Putta Vimaladitya at his office on September 19.

It was found that many of the SHOs were not aware of what was happening in their police stations. “This is primarily because the SHOs are not following the traditional methods of effective management of day-to-day functions of the police personnel,” the minutes of the meeting read.

As part of the instructions, SHOs have been asked to note down in detail the specific duties assigned to each officer in their respective notebooks every morning. Police personnel on their part shall invariably carry their notebooks while on duty. They should write down all the details of the work done during the course of the day and submit the notebooks before the SHOs upon returning from their duty.

“While writing the notebook the next day, the SHO should verify the work done on the previous day and suggest improvement, if any, is needed. The SHO should mention his/her instructions in the notebook. If the SHO is not mentioning anything, it means that he/she is satisfied with the performance and any poor performance of the said police personnel reflects on the SHO himself/herself.”

The sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) should verify the notebooks during his/ her visits and during Friday parades. The SDPO should make the remarks on the notebook with regard to the performance of the said police personnel and the supervision of the SHO on the work of the said police personnel. If not complied with, this would amount to poor supervision and any dereliction of duty by the personnel would reflect on the poor supervision of the SDPO, the instructions said.

The SDPOs and the District Police Chiefs, while visiting the police stations, should check the notebooks of the police personnel present at the police station and make remarks. In essence, the notebook should reflect the work done by the police personnel and the supervision by the SHO and the SDPO.