Following the rise in the number of policemen getting infected by the coronavirus and dying from COVID-19, city police commissioner, Bhaskar Rao has instructed all police stations in the city to have temporary kiosks (built with a shamiyana) outside the police station and attend to complaints in the kiosk, with adhrence to social distancing.
Read: 24 policemen test positive for COVID-19 in a single day
Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/24-policemen-test-positive-for-covid-19-in-a-single-day-851940.html
Rao on Sunday morning issued around a set of instructions to all police stations and senior officers and subordinates as preventive measures to stay safe and keep their family members safe.
Rao told his men to compulsorily screen each and every person walking into the station and direct them to the kiosk. No one, other than policemen should enter the premises of the police stations. However, he insisted that officers must ensure that no person in distress should go back without getting police assistance.
The police have been asked to function using kiosks till further instructions are given. The kiosk should have sufficient chairs for both police and public, but social distancing was a must.
Policemen above 55 years with chronic illnesses have been granted leave
Rao also instructed all officers of the rank police sub-inspector, assistant sub-inspector and head constables aged above 55 years and having a history of chronic illnesses like diabetics, blood pressure were granted leave to be under home quarantine.
However, Bhaskar Rao clarified that the officers who were asked to stay at home were considered on duty and not on leave.
Rao asked the officers to not step out unnecessarily and not leave the city under any circumstances. He asked the police station inspectors to ensure that policemen on leave stayed at home and gave detailed reports to their respective DCP's regularly.
He further suggested the use of young home guards to replace these officers so that regular policing work was not affected.
Rao also instructed his men to compulsorily use the PPE kits, hand sanitisers, gloves and masks and also have hot water in all police stations for drinking and washing hands and feet when they enter the station.