Kochi City Police

History

In 1947, the Cochin State Royal Police was merged with Royal Travancore Police to form Travancore-Kochi State Police. After formation of Kerala, this force became part of Kerala Police. That time, the Kochi city had 3 police departments, namely Fort Kochi Police, Mattancherry Police and Ernakulam City Police. In 1960 when 3 municipalities was merged to form Cochin City Corporation, the force too was renamed as Kochi City Police.

Organization

The Kochi City Police is headed by City Commissioner who also is Foreigners Registration Officer with executive powers for granting immigration status to non-nationals. The Commissioner is from IPS Kerala Cadre and current incumbent is Mr. M.P Dinesh IPS. The commissioner is assisted by two Deputy Commissioners (DCP Law & Order & Traffic) & (DCP Administration & Crimes). The DCP is assisted by 6 Assistant Commissioners (ACP) each for a zone and one for traffic. The city is divided into 3 zones, each zone headed by a Circle Inspector (CI). The city has 19 police stations, each led by a Station Inspector (SI) and one cyber police station.

The Commissioner reports to Central Range Inspector General of Police (IGP-Central).

Central Control Room- 100

The Central Control Room is the major co-ordinating center that co-ordinates the entire movements of police force for the city. Public can reach the control room, by making distress toll-free call 100 in any telephonic device. The Control room maintains 12 Flying Squads (High Fast Patrol Team), in major points of the city and upon distress call, the control room identifies the location of call and directs the nearest squad to rush to the spot.

A special Crime stopper center have been opened, where public can pass on first degree crime messages, to allow police to prevent such crimes. For this the public can call at 1090 and all messages are kept in anonymity for protecting the identity of the informant. Currently the Cochin Police maintains 3 control rooms, one in Central Police Station in the city, another near Cochin International Airport and third at Cochin Port. The force is mooting for a Central Command Center at Vytilla Mobility Hub, integrating both Crimes and Traffic monitoring together with state-of-the-art technical control center.

Anti-Narcotics Squad (ANS)

One Assistant Commissioner of Police is also Chief of Anti Narcotics Squad, that checks use and trafficking of narcotics and banned psychotropic drugs. Currently the cell operates at Edappally Police Station and has 2 squads, one in the city and another for Airport.

Vanitha Station (Women's Police Station)

For the protection and assistance of single women and children, a special all women police station functions with a Lady officer and 20 lady constables. A medical counselor functions in the station, to solve family disputes and provide counselling facilities to needy. The station also handles crimes that involve ladies and juveniles offenders. Currently the station is located at Police Quarters near High Court of Kerala.

City Shadows Force

Kochi City Police maintains a secret police consisting of 29 detective agents and 10 under-cover officers with a Circle officer leading the team. The City Shadows is deployed for monitoring suspects, possible crime scenes, trapping crime offenders and gathering first hand intelligence inputs.

Special Branch (SB)

This forms an intelligence unit for Kochi City Police force, where informations gathered at all corners are collected, analyzed and recorded to regular use. The SB has various methods to gather information and employs Mafti (Under-cover)force for information. However unlike City Shadows, this force has no executive powers to arrest or initiate case against any individual or organization.

Kochi Marine One

Due to presence of several water bodies around the city and possible attacks from sea, Kochi city police maintains an Marine unit called Marine One, which makes regular patrols on backwaters and lakes. For this, Kochi city Police inducted 20 high speed inceptor boats. The team closely works with Coast guard and has a dedicated Coastal Marine Police Station at Fort Kochi under command of a Circle Inspector.

Kochi Commando Unit

The Kerala Police maintains a second unit of Elite Commando force at Kochi, for thwarting possible sabotage operations. This includes countering terrorist attacks and major attacks. The team is equipped with sophisticated weapons and modelled on SWATs. The current unit will be temporarily based at kalamassery.

Armed Reserve Camps

Kochi Police maintains 2 units of armed police. The headquarters of Armed Kochi Police is located at Thrippunithura along with a major detachment unit at Marine Drive. The Armed force has more than 800 members. The ARC at Kochi is the second largest in the state and one of the largest in the India. 2 Coys are maintained in AR-Thrippunithura and 3 Coys at AR-Marine Drive. The force also includes Rapid Action Force for emergency deployment, Riot Force and Personal Home Guards. Personal Home Guards are mainly for private security of VIPs and celebrities as well as providing prisoner escort and inter-bank money transfer escorts.

In addition 3 major squads are maintained at Armed Reserve Camps.

TEAR GAS SQUAD: A Tear Gas Squad having strength of 5 PCs is functioning at AR Kochi City.

BOMB SQUAD: The Bomb Squad AR Kochi City is functioning under the charge of one SI, having only strength of 2 Head Constables and 3 constables. Considering the recent Bomb threats the Bomb Squad has to be strengthened more by more trained men, latest equipment with Bomb Disposal facility.

DOG SQUAD: Dog Squad Units of Armed Reserve Camp, Ernakulam and Thrippunithura are functioning under the charge of one SI. 2 Sniffer Dogs and 2 Tracker Dogs are available in this Squad. At present 1 Head constable & 8 constables are attached to Dog Squad for handling purpose.

City Traffic Police

Kochi City Traffic Police, is a semi-autonomous body with an Assistant Commissioner taking the lead. There are 2 divisions, the Regulatory Office located near Central Police Station and second at Mattancherry. There are nearly 127 Traffic wardens. around 250 Traffic guards from Kerala Home Guards force and a large number of traffic volunteers.

Traffic Divisions

Vehicles

Kochi Police primarily uses Mahindra Invadors as its patrol vehicles. The force maintains nearly 100 such vehicles under brand- Kochi Control Room Vehicle (KCRV) fitted with advanced inceptor gadgets and wireless communications systems. Kochi is one of the few police force in the country to have a dedicated marine force with high speed inceptor power boats for regular patrols in backwaters and lakes along with countering any attack from sea. The force maintains 2 full steel heavy boats and 20 light fiber glass made power boats for fast hovering. The force maintains a strong team of armored vehicles for any anti-riot/sabotage operations. All motor vehicles are placed under Motor Wing with its main office at Armed Reserve Offices

Anti Sabotage Armored Vehicles

Janamaithri Community Policing System

Janamithiri (meaning- Friends of Public in Malayalam) policing is an award winning initiative of Kerala Police, first experimented with Kochi City Police. The main feature of the initiative is to create a Police-Public interface and ensure various plans and methods to keep crimes at lowest with support of public at lowest grassroot level. The highlight is ensure maximum participation of general public into day-to-day activities of police and create a permanent mechanism for constant interactions with public. Policing in India, due to its colonial legacy, has primarily restricted itself to an autocratic style of functioning wherein the functions of the police were primarily negative, aimed at catching criminals and to exercise fear among the citizens, so as to prevent crime. Janamaithri is one such major initiative aimed to reduce the negative image attached to police by public and build up a positive brand of Kerala Police.

Kochi City Police was selected as nodal unit for implementing the project and ensure its success. Kochi City police introduced the following schemes to ensure maximum success of the programs

Pride Suraksha Scheme (A Night Watch Scheme)

Under this scheme, Kochi police have listed 41 resident associations. A team nominated by the resident associations is trained by Kochi city police with a standard three-day module covering various methods in anti-sabotage, anti-theft, counter-attack methods etc. Such teams will take a regular night patrol in their locality as well as ensure co-operation from nearby trained security guards. A resident association patrol team will get a dedicated blackberry mobile for faster communication with nearby allotted police station. A police constable is allotted to monitor progress of each patrol team. By this way, to a greater extend, thefts and anti-social activities occurring at late night was able to prevent.

Police-Security Agencies coordination Scheme)

Kochi city police have ensured all authorized security agencies to register their private security team members with police. Each member of private security agencies will undergo advanced training in various operations helping them assist police force in case of necessity. A network among private security agencies and co-ordinating team is maintained to ensure maximum inter-agency and inter-agency-police communications take place for effective action.

Navodayam (Anti Drug Awareness Campaign)

The programme involves 3 major steps. The primary step is for effective Drug Enforcement involving stringent police raids, collection of intelligence. Conducting anti drug awareness campaigns classes in educational institutions through seminars, pamphlets, exhibitions of photos and posters, Anti-Drug Runs etc. The police maintains a toll free hotline number 9846455500, for public to pass on information about presence of such drugs, drug addicts or sellers.

Kochi Police also maintains 5 rehabilitation centers for de-addiction of victims. For first time offenders, cases are not registered, rather send to such rehabilitation centers for counselling and treatments.

Police Foreigners Assistance Programme

Under this scheme, tourists and foreigners can get one stop services for any Janamaitry marked police station, where they have a services of dedicated police officer. Tourists and foreigners can get any information related to city, complementary maps, bookings assistance for regular means of public transport, handling private complaints against any miscreants or even travel documents assistance.

Janamaithri Helpline 4044333

Janamaithri Helpline is a 24-hour service provider from Kochi Police, giving telephone numbers on demand, which are useful to the public. It will be having Customer Care Executives providing service round the clock. Any public informations or telephone numbers of public utility services, important persons are given on behalf of Janamaithri Helpline, while calling to the service number - 0484 4044333.