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Chandigarh: Meet women supercops out to make a difference
For the first time in Chandigarh, women cops will dominate all important policing portfolios in the city. Kanwardeep Kaur, who has been appointed as SSP, Chandigarh, says infrastructural facilities is one of the major challenges being faced by women in the force owing to their fewer numbers.
For the first time in Chandigarh, women police officers will dominate all important policing portfolios in the city. While Punjab cadre officer Kanwardeep Kaur is set to join as the new SSP in the city, Haryana cadre officer Manisha Choudhary is SSP (traffic and security), and AGMUT cadre officer Shruti Arora is SP, city.
Kanwardeep Kaur, a 2013-batch Punjab-cadre IPS officer, who has been appointed as SSP, Chandigarh, says infrastructural facilities is one of the major challenges being faced by women in the force owing to their fewer numbers.
“The body protector suits are not made for women. I was trained in an oversized suit,” says the former Ferozepur SSP, who was relieved by the Punjab government on Tuesday to join as the SSP, Chandigarh. She has been appointed on a three-year deputation. She is the second woman SSP of Chandigarh after Nilambari Vijay Jagdale (2008 batch) who served in the post between 2017 and 2020.
While talking of challenges as women officer, Kaur, a PEC alumna, says, “As an officer, women face similar challenges as being faced by a male officer. With 10 years of service, I am not treated any different. I am hoping that people start seeing officers as gender neutral.”
She adds, “Policing is no different in any city. The core duties remain maintenance of law and order and prevention of crime. Though societal network is different in every place you are posted.”
Manisha Choudhary, a 2011-batch IPS officer of the Haryana Cadre, became the first woman SSP (traffic and security) of Chandigarh.
“In Chandigarh, currently, I feel the biggest challenge is the management of the ever-growing traffic flow and to come up with solutions to segregate the city and transit traffic along with exploring the options of multi-parking at public places,” adds Choudhary, who came to Chandigarh on an inter-cadre deputation for three years on December 1, 2020.
Shruti Arora, a 2018-batch AGMUT cadre officer, who is holding the charge of superintendent of police (SP), city, says, “There are subtle ways you notice the change in the force when it comes to dealing with women as an officer. No person will be apologetic while calling me late at night as they understand it is my job. As an officer you cannot play woman card,” said Arora, who had joined the Chandigarh Police in 2020 and was posted as ASP (south).
For the graduate from the University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, declining human intelligence is a challenge. “We need to maintain a balance between the use of technology and traditional policing. App policing is good for monitoring by senior officers but the same should translate to meaningful change on ground. Traditional policing cannot be replaced,” she adds.
Talking about policing in the city, Arora, a national-level fencer, says, “There is a clear-cut divide between north and south. As you move away from the so-called posh sectors, the nature of crime and profile of accused completely changes. We are evolving our ways of dealing with crime and making it more area specific, especially when it comes to street crime like snatching.”
What they say
“ I get my uniform shoes made from the cobbler as they are not available in my size. But I am sure these infrastructural issues will change after more women join the police force, says Kanwardeep Kaur, SSP, Chandigarh.
“II don’t perceive challenges from the point of view of being a woman. The nature of the job is challenging and demanding but it’s equally satisfying as it’s a constant learning process,” opines Manisha Choudhary, SSP (traffic and security).
“Women in force are standing up for themselves. They are making conscious choices and their partners are also sharing the responsibility of taking care of household work,” says Shruti Arora, SP, Chandigarh.
