Kerala Police Chief Loknath Behera issued directions through an internal circular on Friday that police officers above 50 years of age should not be assigned for COVID-19 related field duty. The circular also stated that police officers who have comorbidities shouldn't be assigned for active field duty even if they are below 50 years of age.
“It should also be ensured that the police personnel are briefed to follow all health protocols both in their officials and personal lives. This would be applicable to their families also. Police officers should avoid going out other than to offices and for essential needs,” the circular says.
“The treatment of police officers who have tested positive for coronavirus should be properly followed up to ensure that they get the best available treatment and an officer should be posted solely for the daily monitoring of police officers under treatment,” it adds.
“Webinars, internet classes or briefing over wireless must be conducted by the district police chiefs to keep up the morale of the force,” it says.
The circular also states that the directions are in the wake of an increasing number of COVID-19 cases among police officers.
On Friday night, a Sub-Inspector Special Branch in Thodupuzha died of COVID-19 at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital. He was 55. He reportedly had heart ailments too.
According to reports, a total of 88 police personnel have tested positive for coronavirus in Kerala so far. Thirty of them are from the Thiruvananthapuram district.
In a related development, the state police headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram has been closed for two days as a Sub-Inspector who was on duty there tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Friday. The headquarters will be disinfected in two days.