A well-lit room full of books, magazines, posters, and gaming gear is the very last thing you’d anticipate to see whereas strolling right into a police station. But, that is exactly what guests will expertise at three police stations in Bengaluru.
In an try to encourage public-friendly police stations and create consciousness about legal guidelines and crimes amongst kids, child-friendly rooms have been opened on the Vijayanagar, Magadi Highway, and Govindarajanagar police stations within the metropolis, the police stated on Tuesday.
The kid-friendly rooms are paired with outreach programmes like ‘open-house’ days, the place college students from close by faculties will likely be invited to go to the house and discuss with cops.
“Now we have established these rooms with the assistance of donors and Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath college students. Whether it is profitable, we’ll implement this in different police stations the place there’s house availability,” Seemant Kumar Singh, Bengaluru Metropolis Police Commissioner, stated.
Based on the police, the aim is to provide children “a secure and comforting atmosphere” once they go to their dad and mom. With the rooms providing a “welcome house” as an alternative of an intimidating one, the police hope they may assist break down limitations between kids and legislation enforcement.
The areas are stocked with academic supplies in addition to play objects. Partitions are plastered with pleasant cartoons and posters about security, and e-book stands maintain kids’s magazines. Age-appropriate classes within the type of charts—one, for instance, explains the distinction between ‘good contact’ and ‘dangerous contact’—assist children find out about private security in a nonthreatening means.
The kid-friendly rooms are paired with outreach programmes like ‘open-house’ days, the place college students from close by faculties will likely be invited to go to the house and discuss with cops. These classes—one has already been held—will see police stations flip into hands-on school rooms the place kids find out about their rights and security by means of enjoyable actions and skits.
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For instance, officers will clarify in easy phrases what the Safety of Kids from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act is, and reply questions on the way it retains kids secure. Academics and college students will be taught that youngster marriage is unlawful and that each youngster has the correct to go to high school. By means of video games and fascinating actions, kids can follow speaking to a “trusted grownup” if one thing feels improper, and memorise emergency numbers they will name for assist.
“We wish to assist create belief within the police and cut back crime in opposition to kids by making them conscious of what’s proper and improper,” Abhishek S Okay, Police Inspector, Vijayanagar police station, stated. By talking in a pleasant tone and giving kids useful data, he defined, the police power hopes to alter children’ picture of legislation enforcement.
The Bengaluru police need kids to really feel secure approaching a police officer when in hassle. And at these three police stations within the metropolis, each youngster who leaves with a smile will likely be celebrated as yet one more win for neighborhood policing.
Mehak Singh is an intern with The Indian Specific.