Delhi cops likely to get a breather from 24X7 duty, follow Mumbai's shift system

Soon, Delhi Police personnel are likely to get a breather from 24X7 duty and work on an eight-hour shift system like their Mumbai counterparts.

The force is mulling introducing the shift system for traffic police and those deployed in districts.

Rajeev Ranjan, DCP (Headquarters and General Administration), had visited Mumbai last week to study how the shift system works there and has prepared a 10-page report which has been circulated to all senior officers and police stations seeking their suggestions, sources said.

The idea was mooted by Delhi Police Commissioner Alok Kumar Verma.

A meeting of Special Commissioners and Joint Commissioners has been convened on December 7 to discuss ways for implementation of the system.

During his three-day visit to Mumbai, Ranjan observed the working of two police stations -- Azad Maidan and Dadabhai Naoroji Nagar -- that are considered the busiest there in terms of handling law and order arrangements and crime, they added.

"In Mumbai, the district police and traffic personnel work in two shifts -- 7 AM to 3 PM and 3 PM to 11 PM. In that way, they can switch off and relax. But here, district police personnel and traffic personnel have a 24X7 job without breaks or rest," one of the sources said.

In the report, it has been stated that in Mumbai, there are four-five vehicles stationed at a police station and when any call is received, an emergency officer goes to the spot and registers a case or takes the required measures.

Here, there is a PCR unit that takes calls and sends it to the PCR van patrolling the area which then forward the matter to local police, since the former doesn't have power to register a case.

"In Mumbai, the vans stationed at police stations also do the job of patrolling the area as opposed to Delhi where there are PCR vans that do the job of patrolling," the source said.

Mumbai Police personnel also get compensatory offs if they are called for some matter despite their shift getting over.

The report lists out the good practices followed by Mumbai Police and it's being discussed whether it will be feasible to incorporate some of these here, the source said.

Deven Bharti, Joint Commissioner (Law and Order) of Mumbai Police confirmed the visit and said, "An officer from Delhi Police visited a few police stations and specialised branches to see how we function. They have taken inputs and a few documents from us."