Kozhikode: Town police station turns child-friendly

KOZHIKODE: Never blame a visitor if she or he mistakes the Town police station to be a creche. It is one of the six police stations that were declared child-friendly in the state on Tuesday. Kids were seen running around, some were using the swings and the seesaw and parents were seen accompanying them. The cops did not seem to be in a hurry and enjoyed helping them. Apart from the inaugural day hype, this station, like the five others in the state, will be a model in handling children, who arrive inside the walls of the station and are treated in a way not to affect their morale.

The cops were specially trained on child psychology, before inaugurating the facility. The children’s park would be a symbol of how cordial the station staff would be to the kids. A child-friendly room ‘Madithattu’ (lap) was also opened for the public. Mayor Thottathil Raveendran, who inaugurated the child-friendly station, said that the crimes against children were on the rise.

“Children are mainly abused in connection with drugs. The lack of enough policemen is also one of the reasons for the delay in tackling such offences,” the mayor said. MK Muneer MLA, who was the chief guest at the function, said that the project was a model for the rest of the states. City police commissioner S. Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar presided over the event. Deputy commissioner Merin Joseph was also  present. Thiruvananthapuram Fort, Kollam East, Kadavanthra, Thrissur East and Kannur Town are the other child-friendly police stations.