Treat body protectors, helmets as part of uniform, cops told
LUCKNOW: Body protectors and helmets should be treated as part of the uniform by police officials as well as lower rung personnel while visiting troubled spots or going to handle law and order situation. Director General of Police (DGP) headquarters on Thursday issued these directions.
The order came in wake of Bulandshahr violence on Monday in which two people, including inspector Subodh Kumar Singh, was shot dead by the unruly mob.
The inspector was also hit by stones thrown by the attackers leaving him badly injured. Initial findings in the violence also pointed out that the inspector was not wearing body protector and helmet while handling the unruly mob.
Direction for regular use of body protectors and helmets has been sent to all district police chiefs, deputy inspector generals (DIG), inspector generals (IG) and additional director generals (ADG) to ensure compliance of this order strictly.
A senior police official at the DGP headquarters said the drill of wearing body protectors and helmets along with their firearms and batons already existed and police personnel of all ranks were trained of its proper usage while handling unruly mob. He said the same existing circular has been revised to ensure safety and security of police personnel in case of violence.
The official said in-charge of police sta- tions had asked to always keep body protectors and helmets in their official jeeps so that they could use it in case of any urgent situation.
He said the police personnel should, in fact, consider body protector and helmet as a part of uniform. “Using body protectors and helmets makes police personnel more confident and could handle violent mob more effectively,” he emphasised.