KERALA POLICE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE STATION HOUSE MANAGEMENT Station House Management – SOP Station House Management – SOP PREFACE Kerala Police working under the motto “Mridu Bhave Dhrida Kruthye” (Soft in temperament, Yet firm in action) is committed to achieve the highest level of citizen satisfaction, by striving to provide world-class quality of Police Services through prompt redressel of grievances, transparent and fair enforcement of law, maintenance of order by protecting citizen rights and individual dignity and incessant endeavour to enhance public safety. “The Standard Operating Procedure for Station House Management” is a standard basic norm for the management of Police Stations and the ideal behavior to which every member of the department shall be held accountable. It is a focused attempt to bring together in one exhaustive document, a recording of relevant available laws, circulars, best practices, resources, tools and operating procedures on the Police Station management. This resource document has been developed in an effort to ensure that the Police Official have the basic knowledge , understanding and experience in the Station House Management and other relevant legislation on this field. Therefore, this SOP is a brief and quick reference material of the laws and procedures of optimal importance to officers working at Police Stations. In order to achieve excellence, every Police official bear the following Code of Ethics in their mind – “As a Law Enforcement Officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder; and to respect the Constitutional rights of all persons to liberty, equality and justice. Station House Management – SOP I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all; maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn or ridicule; develop self- restraint; and be constantly mindful of the welfare of others. Honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department. Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided in me in any official capacity will be kept secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of my duty. I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromises for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favour, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities. I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith and I accept it as a public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of Police Service. I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals, dedicating myself before God to my chosen profession - Law Enforcement.” People expect that Police officers treat them with respect, behave decently and uphold justice. All members of the Police force should strive hard to meet these expectiations. With warm regards, LOKNATH BEHERA IPS DGP & State Police Chief, Kerala Station House Management – SOP STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR STATION HOUSE MANAGEMENT GENERAL CONTENT Chapter Topic Page No Police Stations- 1 1-6 A Citizen Friendly Service Delivery Units 2 Functions of a Police Station. 7-12 3 Police Duties and Responsibilities. 13-81 4 Police Station Duties and Verticals 82-93 5 Coastal Police Stations. 94-102 6 Official Police Records. 103-152 7 Petition Enquiries and Reports. 153-159 8 Arrest, Search and Seizure. 160-184 9 Court Craft 185-202 10 Model Police Station Facilities 203- 213 Parameters for the selection of 11 214-218 Best Police Station 12 Code of Conduct 219-222 13 Police Job - A Professional Job 223-229 Crime & Criminal Tracking Network and 14 230-232 Systems (CCTNS) Community Closed Circuit Television 15 233-236 (CCTV) Surveillance Cameras 16 Community Policing & Best Practices 237-256 Important Circulars & 17 257-267 Executive Directives 18 Photos 268-282 Station House Management – SOP Station House Management – SOP CHAPTER-1 POLICE STATION - A CITIZEN FRIENDLY SERVICE DELIVERY UNIT The Indian Police Station is the most important part in the administration of justice in India. Police plays a vital role in the society and is the front- runner in protecting and promoting the welfare and well-being of the citizen. Police Station is the most important unit of the Police organization. It is the hub Centre of all Police activities. A person, while in need and difficulty, comes to the Police Station and thus, this is the first contact point of people with Police. Police Station being an approachable point and frequently visited place by people, plays a very vital and significant role in providing relief to the people in need, and thereby, contributing in a big way in building positive image of Police along with creating positive, cordial and reciprocal Police community relations, which happen to be so essential for effective and efficient Police functioning. Significance and Functioning Police Stations symbolize the presence of the Police organization in the community and provides an assurance of security to the people in general. The public can rest at ease believing that there is a place that provides safety, security, relief, help and assistance to them in their hour of need. ‘Citizen friendly, Citizen centric Service delivery unit’ means a facility that exists for the public to which public can have free access and on which public can have confidence and rely upon sense of safety & security, hassle free living and dignity of the citizens. The word ‘Public’ means and includes all persons irrespective of caste, creed community, gender, status etc. ‘Facility’ means that which facilitates, which helps or comes to the aid of public. Police Station is a public facility which means that Police is an agency that is in the service of the people in order to help them in times of need. Hence, Police should have public trust.Police Station is a public facility which is characterized by the following functions listed below. i. Police Station functions round the clock like a hospital. The Police Station is kept open 24 hours for the simple reason that anybody in 1 SOP FOR STATION HOUSE MANAGEMENT | KERALA POLICE need of it’s services at any point of time, day or night, can indent upon and count on it's services (24X7 for 365 days). ii. Police is given uniform, the main reason being even in large gatherings or in difficult situations they can be easily identified by the people as one who could be approached for help. iii. Apart from clothing in uniform, Police is clothed with legal powers particularly of arrest, search, seizure and entry into premises on the spot, the intention being that, in the interest of justice Police should not be handicapped in taking measures needed quickly on the spot. iv. Policeman is trained not only in law and policing skills but also in first aid, emergency relief, fire fighting, swimming etc., again for the purpose that the Police should help the people in times of emergencies. v. Discipline is the backbone of the Police. There is a lot of emphasis and discipline right from training. The basic purpose being that an agency and its officers who are to serve the people have to be disciplined themselves otherwise personal prejudices may adversely affect the nature of service and the interest of justice. vi. There is a Code of Conduct specifically prescribed for the Police. Not only in India, the Police organizations, of all countries have a Code of Conduct. Even the United Nations has evolved a Code of Conduct for law enforcement agencies. Service to public is the most important one in all the above Codes of Conduct. The question we have to ask ourselves is ‘Is our Police Station a Citizen friendly service delivery unit?’ If the answer is in the negative, we have to do some soul-searching and initiate remedial measures as otherwise we are not fulfilling the basic purpose and are failing in getting public trust. The following are some of the basic things that should be ensured if the Police Station is to serve the purpose of being a citizen friendly public facility: 2 SOP FOR STATION HOUSE MANAGEMENT | KERALA POLICE Free accessibility As people freely and confidently walk up to a Hospital, a Post-Office or a Bank to get their things done, so should the victims, complainants or aggrieved people, be able to walk up to a Police Station without any restriction/hesitation. We often hear political leaders including Home Ministers and Chief Minister complaining that even today people with genuine grievances are afraid of going to a Police Station. If a victìm or a complainant is afraid of going to a Police Station, it negates the very purpose of sanctity of a Police Station. Somehow over the years we have created an impression that people are not welcome at the Police Station and those who come would, be ill-treated. In some stations, the Police Station staff scare away even people who are innocent and legitimately pass by the pathways around the Police Station. This has to be changed by deliberate efforts on our part. For this, the Station staff has to be properly attuned to constant briefing that those who come to the Police Station for lodging a complaint or for making a representation or for some help should be allowed free access and should be courteously treated. Help Desk/Reception Earlier in Police Stations the reception was unpleasant, for those who visit the Police Station.