Cops must carry extra masks, sanitisers for arrested accused

The new rules issued by police commissioner SN Shrivastava also makes it mandatory to sanitise all anti-riot gear such as canes, batons and barricades before they are used for crowd control measures. The traffic have been told to insist on digital payments for traffic violation fines.

All investigating officers of the Delhi Police must carry extra masks and hand sanitisers and give these to suspects before arresting them . The new rules issued by police commissioner SN Shrivastava also makes it mandatory to sanitise all anti-riot gear such as canes, batons and barricades before they are used for crowd control measures. The traffic have been told to insist on digital payments for traffic violation fines.

All investigating officers of the Delhi Police must carry extra masks and hand sanitisers and give these to suspects before arresting them . (File photo)

Shrivastava said all personnel must follow these rules as the force is now back to focusing on crime prevention and detection duties.

With the lockdown norms eased, markets have opened and traffic resumed in the national capital. A new set of rules and regulations have been set in place for the police personnel across the city to follow until the threat of the Covid-19 ceases to exist.

Until last Monday, there were few relaxations and only citizens working with essential services were allowed on the roads. As a result, Delhi’s crime rate too had dipped. With fewer crimes reported at stations since the lockdown, police were also focusing on feeding the underprivileged, managing containment zones, conducting security checks on roads, and ensuring social distancing among citizens.

During a recent meeting of the top brass of the city police, it was decided that for crowd control police would use ropes along with barricades. “It is also mandatory for us to sanitise the anti-riot equipment such as lathis, shields and barricades. It is a drill that we have to follow before every protest now,” said a police officer, who wish not to be named.

Over the last two months, since the nationwide lockdown, there have been very few protests in the city. There are around 9,000 to 13,000 protests held in Delhi each year.

“Now that we are back to out regular work, we realise that a lot has changed. We have been told to use our own pens and not share them. There are separate and designated places at police stations for visitors. Visitors will also be provided masks if they don’t have one. All arrested persons in the station lock-up are being kept apart ensuring social distancing. Some of our field staff are directly going home and not coming to the station. This is all part of the new order,” another officer said.