Delhi Police reflect on how policing has changed since

New Delhi: One year after the Covid-19 lockdown was imposed, from helping the poor by giving them food to donating plasma and ensuring law and order in the city, the Delhi Police on Wednesday, reflecting on how the pandemic changed its role, said that metropolitan policing had changed significantly due to the lockdown.

"The lockdown brought a paradigm shift in police working and the policing also evolved as a human face of law enforcing mechanism under the leadership and vision of Commissioner of Police,

Delhi SN Shrivastava," the police said.

The police were among first responders during the pandemic and were included in the category of frontline workers. So far, 34 police personnel have succumbed to COVID-19. "The total infections in Delhi Police have touched a

figure of 7,733 with the recovery of 7,688 personnel," the official said.

Delhi Police PRO, Chinmoy Biswal said enforcing the lockdown in Delhi threw many challenges at them. The Capital has many activities which could not be abruptly halted. Delhi Police overcame adversities and successfully rose up to the occasion. The entire police force was to ensure that there was no panic among the masses and that the residents could have a regular and unhindered supply of food, medicines and other essential amenities during the restrictions.

Besides providing food for poor and underprivileged people, ensuring the supply of essential commodities, emergency movement of people for medical purposes, addressing specific needs of senior citizens and taking care of stray animals were also some immediate concerns.