The Ernakulam Rural police have launched a novel initiative, offering the services of retired police officers as security advisers for schools in the wake of a recent spate of violent incidents, including those linked to drugs, involving teenagers across the State.

The initiative has been woven into the Rural police’s recently launched project ‘Urappu@School’, which offers a common platform for resolving the problems faced by schools and students. The project, launched in the Aluva and Perumbavoor subdivisions, already covers around 300 schools.

“The services of retired police officers as security advisers will be offered strictly based on the demand of schools, which may also choose to provide them with an honorarium. We have already drawn up a list of 20 retired officers, and around 40 schools have expressed interest. The list will be finalised in the coming months by including officers who retired in the last three to four years, considering that nearly 100 police officers retire each year,” said Vaibhav Saxena, District Police Chief (Ernakulam Rural).

Only officers with a good reputation, the right aptitude, and a passion for serving children will be selected. Each officer assigned as a security adviser will be allotted three to four schools, which they will visit daily and interact with a specific number of students. They will also inspect aspects such as the fitness of school buses, buildings, and classrooms and ensure that CCTVs in schools are functioning properly. Besides, they will conduct one-on-one interactions with students whenever needed and report any concerns to the school, the local police station, and even the district police headquarters.

The security advisers will also monitor students’ interactions with outsiders, the exchange of suspicious objects, and incidents of bullying. If a school no longer requires the services of a security adviser, it can request the district police headquarters to withdraw the officer, and the request will be honoured without question.

“In many cases, school authorities struggle to control students who may gang up and threaten them. The presence of a retired police officer would help address this issue,” said Mr. Saxena. It is also a win-win situation, as police officers who retire at 56 still have many productive years ahead, and the project provides an ideal opportunity to engage them while offering potential additional income.

Meanwhile, steps have been taken to expand Urappu@School to the remaining three subdivisions. WhatsApp groups comprising representatives of school authorities, students, parents, and the concerned Station House Officers, and DySPs have been formed in two subdivisions. Besides, daily Zoom meetings involving four or five schools are being conducted. The Additional Superintendent of Rural Police is the nodal officer of the project.

Published - March 04, 2025 12:19 am IST