A police driver attached to the Armed Reserve Camp at Kalamassery, Ernakulam, jotted down a note before dying by suicide in October 2023. In the purported suicide note, he asked his sons to study well and find jobs anywhere, but not in the police department. The death note also blamed work pressure and the behaviour of his senior officers for forcing him to take the extreme step.
The note triggered questions about the police. Should the force undergo a change to prevent further suicides and officers seeking voluntary retirement? The force needs more manpower and mental strength.
Former police chiefs, association representatives, and those who have studied the police structure offer a few remedial measures.
This is the final part of the series - 'cop'ing with stress - on suicides among Kerala police.
Read part 1: How many more lives to ease police's workload?
Part 2: The VRS escape route: Retired hurt by senior cops
Part 3: From POCSO cases to tea duty, no gender bias in workload for Kerala's women cops
Follow ‘Janaagraha model’, says former DGP PK Hormis Tharakan
Inadequate manpower is the root cause of the work and mental pressure that has been bogging down the police force. The force should add more manpower, and prudently delegate the work.
A think tank should be formed at the police headquarters or police academy to find means to reduce pressure. Those having enough time and are open to listening to complaints and finding solutions should be part of the think tank.
Discipline is foremost in the police force. The weekly parade, inspections by senior officers, and punishing erring officers could not be considered as factors leading to pressure, since it would affect the force's discipline. Senior officers should be trained to handle and resolve complaints.
The 'sabhas' by police superintendents should be further bolstered. Policemen should get an opportunity to raise complaints in such meetings.
Shift systems should be actively considered and implemented. No one should be forced to work 24 hours continuously.
Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship & Democracy in Karnataka conducted a Bengaluru city police's manpower requirement study ten years ago. Based on the study, a shift system was implemented in some police stations. It could be replicated in Kerala. The workload of each station should be studied and broadly classified into three: Fixed Duty (law and order, reception, filing complaints, wireless, writers), Variable Duty (investigation, warrant, summons, verification, etc.), and Special Duty (like VIP management).
In Karnataka, the shift system was implemented for those on fixed duty. Variable and special duties were considered separately, and the required manpower was recruited. This was more or less a successful model.
Mandatory Time Off: Besides weekly offs, a law should be implemented to ensure that police personnel should mandatorily take a fixed number of leaves annually.
Senior officers should have patience, says former DGP A Hemachandran
Years ago, a Sub-Inspector died by suicide at the Armed Reserve Camp. He was facing a department-level inquiry. Fear of punishment pushed him over the edge. The report, however, absolved the officer.
Senior officers should check the veracity of complaints instead of immediately initiating punitive action against the accused. Policemen, too, could make mistakes. Seniors should have the patience to listen when the policeman concerned explains the mistake and the reasons that had led to it.
There is no doubt that senior officers, too, are under work pressure. But they should realise that the subordinate officers are also humans, and act accordingly.
The workload should be reduced, and adequate manpower should be recruited to the force. The strength of civil police, who constantly interact with the public, should be increased.
Let them focus only on their work: Former DGP Jacob Punoose
Policing is a tough job, and it involves mental pressure. The only solution is to recruit more personnel and allow them to perform only those duties that they are supposed to do.
The police are now providing security to the treasury and retired senior officials. These are not part of policing. If the government feels such security measures are inevitable, separate appointments should be made.
Meanwhile, Janamaithri and Student Police Cadets and the like duties involving police-public interaction do not add to the workload. The police can ensure peace and law and order. The government is implementing projects only to ensure a peaceful atmosphere.
I was the Assistant Superintendent of Police in Thalassery when my first child was born. Even when my mother was on her deathbed, I did not get adequate leave to be by their side.
Work pressure is part of the police job. It cannot be totally eradicated. But the pressure could be reduced. Teachers are appointed in proportion to the students' strength. Such an audit is not happening in the police department. And hence, there are no proportionate appointments.
I don't consider work pressure alone to be pushing policemen to suicide. However, there will be behavioural changes when the work pressure increases. Alcoholism, unwanted friendships, and marital discords are part of this behavioural change.
Like others, suicide tendencies increase as other issues snowball into unbearable problems. However, the number of policemen killing themselves is less if we consider the total number of suicides in Kerala.
The police manual says the government is responsible for the mental health of policemen.
Reduce work pressure: Kozhikode MCH Psychiatry Dept Head Prof Dr Harish M Tharayil
The Psychiatry Department at the Kozhikode Medical College had studied the police's work and mental pressures. We studied 371 male officers and 65 female officers. The study revealed that while 24 per cent of the total respondents were under medication for various health issues, four per cent took medicines for mental health issues.
The respondents pointed out unbearable work pressure, a lack of a proper work schedule, a lack of free time, inadequate remuneration for additional work, and lack of family time, and no time for socialising as the major reasons. The basic issue was a staff shortage.
A lack of adequate exercise and no fixed mealtime have affected the health of many police officers. Many of the respondents had lifestyle diseases and often resorted to consuming alcohol and smoking.
Their workload and pressure are often beyond the comprehension of their families. It affected their family lives and mental health. This was more in women officers.
The respondents also mentioned discontent over rejected leave and transfer applications, injustice in the division of labour, and the arrogant behaviour of senior officers.
Practising yoga and working out in gyms could help the officers. But it would become harassment if they were asked to put in an additional hour outside their working hours.
Family meetings of police personnel should be held at least once a month. It will come as a relief to the families.
Recruitment is the only solution: Kerala Police Association state sec EV Pradeepan
An immediate step that has to be initiated is to recruit more personnel to increase the strength of policemen in stations, and thereby reduce their burden. Though the Kerala Civil Police Cadre that envisaged separating investigation and law and order, among others, was notified in 2010, it has not been implemented. Special Rules, too, have not been passed.
Though Armed Reserve camps were disbanded, there was no proportionate increase in the staff strength in police stations. This should be implemented immediately. Personnel from the Women's Battalion, too, could be assigned to police stations.
If district-level rank lists are considered instead of battalion lists, the manpower shortage could be addressed in at least some districts.
Making video conferencing facilities in prisons fully operational could significantly reduce escort duties.
In most stations, CPOs are not provided desks or facilities to keep the files they handle. This affects their morale, and it should be addressed.
Eight-hour working norm should be implemented in all possible places. The DGP's order against cancelling weekly offs unless during emergencies should be strictly implemented. Let them spend time with their families at least once a week.
Senior-subordinate officer relationships should be cordial. The policemen will not feel any pressure if they are working under a friendly senior officer.