New Delhi: On the eve of International Women’s Day, the Delhi police on Wednesday launched an all-women patrolling squad. With the motto — Be the change, you want to see — wearing on their sleeves, the women suad riding mean machine in Delhi’s south district aims to protect women from cat-callers and instil a sense of confidence among women.
The police said that the initiative was conceived with twin objectives — to give a greater sense of security and comfort to the girls and women moving on road and at public places, outside schools, Metro stations, parks and colleges in south Delhi, and to motivate women police personnel.
The initiative aims at motivating “female police personnel” by making the system more inclusive for them and putting them as the pro-active front of field policing. All in all, it is an effort to provide additional safeguards to women in the city.
The “women patrolling squad” has been equipped with motorcycles with four riding gear, a gypsy with a women police officer as the driver and incharge to lead the patrol team, wireless sets, protection team and firearms.
To give final shape to the idea, women police personnel having experience in field policing were carefully selected and given specialised training in driving and riding and maintenance of the squad vehicles.
The squad was launched in the form of a ‘road trip’ from Sarojni Nagar to Select Citywalk Mall in Saket.
“Though there is a regular patrolling in high footfall and other areas of the district, a need was felt to augment the existing system,” deputy commissioner of police, south district, Romil Baaniya said.
“Owing to their personal and professional commitments, women move around the city all times. In this scenario, it was thought appropriate to have more women police officers on the roads to instill a sense of confidence among women,” Mr Baaniya said.
The women patrolling squad has been specifically tasked to ensure greater visibility in areas frequented by girls and women. Their special focus will be on schools and colleges during the day hours and busy markets and public places, like Sarojini Nagar Market, Select City Mall, Hauz Khas Village, Kamla Nehru etc., during the evening hours.
