Delhi Police's initiative to motivate women personnel to go out in field

New Delhi: Thirty-two-year-old head constable Pooja Chauhan was stuck in a desk job at a city police station for more than a decade but always yearned for active policing. The opportunity came knocking when the Delhi Police launched a scheme to inspire its women personnel to go out in

the field.

'Udaan giving wings to fly' is a three-month-long programme that was launched on June 15. As part of the initiative, 28 women constables and head constables — two from each police station of north district — were selected based on their educational qualification and work pattern.

According to senior officials, most women personnel who join the Delhi Police opt for desk jobs like daily diary writers, data entry operators or record room duties while avoiding frontline or beat-level policing due to several factors, including objection raised by parents or husband.

Moreover, even if they want to go on the field they don't have the confidence because of being stuck behind a desk for several years. So, this scheme is specially aimed at such personnel, an officer said.

The initiative is being executed in the north district by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Anita Roy who has taken upon herself to empower willing personnel of the force break the shackles and get out of their comfort zone.

The programme began with a 15-day refreshment course for the selected candidates wherein they were imparted with ground-level training, including beat-level training.

Legal consultants, and forensic and cyber experts were roped in to train the candidates. They were then sent for court-related duties, assigned specific beats, and also familiarised with all the latest applications of the force before being sent back for assessment.

"We focused on the quality of training and output that these lady officers would give on the field, Roy said.

We decided to give a very scientific, comprehensive and thorough capacity building training to them where they were given exposure to all levels of complications, including self-defence so that those who were unwilling to take up training were now excited about it," she stressed.

In an interaction with PTI, the personnel said they now feel that they are an important part of the society and can help bring about change in the lives of other women by helping them fight their battles and get justice.

They said the training session has helped them gain confidence, develop interest in crime detection, solve cases and they hope to make a difference with the opportunity that they have got. "Ever since I became a part of this training, I have become more confident and people know me in my beat area even if I go in civil clothes. They respect me and share their problems while I try my best to sort them, Chauhan said.

My family members too are supporting me and my husband help me with household chores. So, I am very proud to have achieved this," she added.

Thirty-four-year-old head constable Shipra, who is deployed at a 'Pink Booth' set up to handle women-related issues said earlier, she would sit there like a dummy but the training has helped her take on an active role.

I hardly knew my responsibilities and would sit there like a dummy. But now, after the training, I go to my booth and play an active role by speak to the women complainants and instilling confidence in them, she said.