ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic posed an unprecedented three-fold challenge for the policing system. They were to enforce general lockdown while facilitating emergency movement, to ensure that people under quarantine and those under home isolation abided by all rules and to safeguard the frontline police staff from infection. The immediate job was to enforce the complete lockdown. Police staff was briefed on essential duty movements and on dealing with violators effectively. Innovative approaches like ‘e-naka checking’ for recording the movement of every vehicle for contact tracing and ‘Pharma Sentinel’, for intelligence on influenza-like illnesses from pharmacies were taken. An innovative venture called ‘COVID Sentinel Project’ roped in volunteers from the community. Volunteers would call people under quarantine every day and monitor their location, explain the dos and don’ts in vernacular language and offer psychological assistance. The project additionally led to some research output based on a feedback questionnaire. This was a successful example of governmental organizations (GO), non-governmental organizations (NGO) and technology convergence. This unique project won several national accolades, awards and attention. Moreover, for safeguarding Police personnel, extensive training, and medical check-ups were done through ‘COVID Cop Care’. This chapter brings into focus the measures taken up to fight and manage the virus from the perspective of the police force.
