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Lockdown: Policemen’s wish list include chatting with children, movies with family
The lockdown to restrict the spread of Covid-19 has meant an increased workload for police officers for whom there is no ‘work from home’ option. An average shift
The lockdown to restrict the spread of Covid-19 has meant an increased workload for police officers for whom there is no ‘work from home’ option. An average shift runs from 12 to 14 hours, but can go on for longer, and as part of Covid-19 duty, police officers are on the front lines of tackling the disease.
In a video released by Mumbai Police on Wednesday, the police talked about what they’d do if they had the option of working from home. Since the lockdown, police officers are often working longer hours than normal. Deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Pranaya Ashok said of Mumbai Police’s 50,000 police personnel, half are on Covid-19 duty. “An average of 12 to 14 hours are devoted [by those on duty,” said Ashok, adding that the shifts can go on for longer. “If a crowd gathers, one cannot leave just because his shift has ended,” he said.
Being on duty in the city, in daytime temperatures that are around 33˚C, police work is demanding and requires many to make sacrifices. Assistant police inspector (API) with Navghar police, Deepali Kulkarni missed her eight-year-old son’s birthday on Wednesday. “I would have celebrated my son’s birthday with him,” she said. “He sits in the balcony and calls out to his friends in the society, saying he will celebrate it post-April 14.” Kulkarni travels from Kalyan to Mulund daily and is stationed at one of the busiest entry/exit points to the city – the toll plaza bordering Thane. She’s sent her younger son, who is two years old, to stay with her mother.
Sunil Waghmare, a police inspector at Wadala TT police station, also had to miss his son’s birthday on March 31. “ We couldn’t celebrate the birthday at home as I barely got time when I reached home. I was not able to even have lunch or dinner with my son on that special day,” he said.
In some police officers’ families, there are reversals in roles. DCP (headquarters-1) N Ambika said, “At times, my daughter cooks food for me when I return these days. My son and daughter’s schedules too have changed as they remain home, but they have been extremely understanding.”
Jayashree Sawant, API, Sion police station, misses her normal routine of putting her two-year-old daughter to bed now that Sawant has to man different junctions. Sawant’s husband, Sunil Patil, is an officer with Thane rural police and has a daily commute of two hours. The couple decided to send their daughter to live with extended family in Sangli, around 375 kilometres from Mumbai. “She demands to see me daily during meals and before going to bed. I use video call to stay in touch. I would have spent all the time with her had I been at home,” said Sawant.
When asked what he would do if he could stay home, Dattatray P Bhargude, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Bandra division, said, “I would sit with my children, speak with them about life and share my experiences working as a cop. I would also refresh old memories with my colleagues as I am nearing retirement.” DCP, zone 10, Ankit Goyal also said he would like to reconnect with old friends if he had more down time. “I would have called my old college friends and relived those past days. Watching movies with family is also on the list. There are many books on my shelf which have been remained untouched and I would read them all. Last, I would catch up on sleep,” he said.
Balasaheb Satpute, head constable, MIDC police station, said he would have liked to take over the cooking if he could have worked from home. “In this way, I would have been able to give some rest to my wife,” he said.
The demanding schedules of Mumbai Police leaves most officers with little time to work on their personal projects and hobbies. “I hardly get time for myself,” said Navnath Chavan, police constable, Oshiwara police station. When asked what he would do if he could stay home, Chavan said, “I would have read spiritual books like Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana.” API Ratna Khandelwal, who travels from Mumbra to Pydhonie police station daily, said, “Had I been home, I would try out new recipes and spend time with my sister’s kids and my aging mother. Police officers overburdened with work never get enough time to do these things.”
For Hriday Mishra, head constable with Mumbai Police’s crime branch, being able to relax at home would have been a good opportunity to go through old cases. “I would have revisited those cases, their written notes and study what could have been done better and what were the mistakes committed,” said Mishra.
Ashok said there are initiatives to try and give officers much-needed breaks. “In a bid to ensure police personnel are not stressed, junior officers and personnel are getting a day off after working for two consecutive days at some police zones. Some police stations staff are rotated every three hours at check posts,” he said. At their individual levels, senior officers do their best to look out for their staff. Senior police inspector Lalita Gaikwad, who is in charge of Sion police station, said “As a senior police inspector, I see that my staff gets a weekly off so that they get time to spend with family.”
