The Kadavanthara police station in Kochi has started a new initiative – on a pilot basis -- to transform itself into a child-friendly station.
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"The project was undertaken to improve community policing. We have already started to hold regular meetings involving residents and the aim is to make police more accessible. With crimes involving children increasing, there is a need to make police more accessible. With child-friendly stations, police will be more accessible to children with grievances and minors who are accused of crime," said Yathish Chandra, deputy police commissioner, Kochi, TOI reported.
The station has now kept toys, including a huge duck and a see-saw, at the police station. The visitor's room was refashioned into a resting area with a crib for children and a mattress for mothers.
Though the makeover process has been started, further developments in interiors are on cards. The entire place would be designed to give a feel of a day-care centre for the visitors.
Some senior police officers also claimed that the child-friendly police station will be modified according to the taste of children with appealing drawings and wallpapers. The move will help make the police station a likeable place, they said.
"There was bit of a space crunch at the Janamaithri police station. We, however, managed to convert the visitors' room into a space where kids who are required to come to the police station can relax," said a police officer.
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According to the deputy commissioner, this experimental project is a prototype and if it becomes successful, other police stations in the city might also follow suit.
"Our aim is to give a school like feel to police stations. Children will now be able to interact with police officers as freely as a student talks to teachers," said Chandra, adding that the project is one of the chief minister's pet projects.
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Feature Image Credit: TOI
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