Polite in behaviour, firm in action: Mahesh Bhagwat IPS on role of police

In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Rachakonda police commissioner, Mahesh Bhagwat, IPS speaks on the wide-ranging roles the police are undertaking during the COVID-19 pandemic. Enforcing lockdown, adopting behavioural changes, tracing suspected cases- the role frontline police force play is truly evolving.

Hyderabad: The police forces have been at the forefront enforcing the stringent lockdown in a bid to contain the COVID-19 spread across the nation. Rachakonda police commissioner, Mahesh Bhagwat, IPS speaks exclusively to ETV Bharat on the dual responsibility of enforcing the lockdown effectively and adopting a sensitive form of communication with COVID-19 patients and their family members.

'We are always ready to fight any eventuality'

Mahesh Bhagwat IPS responding to the small preparation window before the eventual lockdown said that police is always ready to fight any eventuality. He further said that state administration provided the police with financial resources and mobility.

'Polite in behaviour, firm in action'

Rachakonda police commissioner stated that two prone strategies is in place to strictly enforce the lockdown and at the same time to be polite with the citizens.

"People are in distress. What is required here is an elderly kind of advice to maintain social distancing," he said.

Mahesh Bhagwat also said that testing and screening foreign returnees and Jamaat attendees were a challenge because of identifying the source of travel and rigorous contact tracing measures involved.

'Behavioural changes among police, force more of a fatherly figure now'

Mahesh Bhagwat believes that COVID-19 and lockdown has shifted the role of policing from maintaining law and order to a father figure, taking care of the needs of the society and stepping in to reduce the distress faced by the public.

'Few cases of community transmission, people getting infected during hospital visits'

Mahesh Bhagwat indicated few cases of community transmission in the state owing to repeated hospital visits by citizens for ailments unrelated to COVID-19.

"The role of the police is to maintain effective enforcement of lockdown and to be polite with patients and their relatives," Bhagwat said.

'Police personnel given the training to maintain hygiene, ensure hassle free movement of essentials'

The police commissioner detailed several hygiene measures including frequent medical checkups, face masks and sanitizers. Besides, officials above 55 years of age and personnel with pre-conditions were kept from away from the frontline duties.

He stated that active policemen on duty are ensuring essential services reach people smoothly without any delay.

'Only isolated cases of domestic violence in Rachakonda'

"We interacted with the civil society activists and issued helpline numbers. We found isolated cases of domestic violence, otherwise no such increase in domestic violence was reported in Rachakonda," Bhagwat said.

According to reports, petty crimes have reduced drastically in the past two months owing to the COVID-19 lockdown. Mahesh Bhagwat further claimed that only crime which is still ramphant is the crime crime.