Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissioner Krishna Prakash assures to make city crime free

Indian Police Services (IPS) officer, Krishna Prakash is the third Commissioner appointed at the Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissionerate since it’s establishment three years ago. 
Krishna Prakash is the only IPS officer till date who holds the title of ‘Iron Man’ or ‘Ultra Man’ for his extraordinary achievement in the field of fitness and simultaneously working as a public servant. 
His appointment at the Pimpri Chinchwad Police Commissionerate makes it important when the twin cities are grappled with several issues that have remained unresolved for many years. 

Pune Pulse correspondent, Akash Dhanurkar spoke to the officer at length about his plans for the city. 

Q. How do you plan to inculcate the similar fitness standards in the Pimpri Chinchwad Police considering the unhealthy lifestyle due to stressful lives of the Police personnel ?

A : I am introducing a watch or a wrist band that will track their fitness level. Right from the stress to having high temperature or low, everything can be detected in the dashboard. Recently, ‘Decathlon’ has started giving cycles – so, they are willingly to offer ten cycles to the department. I will also introduce the concept of patrolling by cycling. Health is not just about exercise, it is also about food habits. Now, to also tackle the stress, I will be opting 2-3 Police constables from every Police station, who would be regularly trained – be it Yoga or running – which will keep them healthy and stress free. The band will help us observe their heartbeat, and the dashboard that we will launch will help us record their sleep timing, duration. We shall also arrange a training period, under which the department will be trained on how to put on their records in the dashboard. So, all the above parameters, right from the seminars on eating habits to exercising time cycle will fight against their poor life style, and minimize the chances of chronic disease in my department.

Q. It’s been two years to the establishment of Police Commissionerate and there are already two transfers. How do you see this situation ? 

A. So, as the Commissionerate is new, the work plan, establishment, the branches are also new, so, there is a need to do multi-tasking. However, the department must be able to respect the officer who is serving them and serving them would mostly mean abiding by the law. Also, our only motive would be to bring culprit to the court and no innocent should be tortured, bullied or misbehaved. So, as a third commissioner of the city, my only motive would be to train the department to have such behavior that they can be reached and trusted to and by common masses. 

Q. Countering your message that law is above everything, we have come across your message ‘Kanoon badaldo, ya toh mujhe badal do’. So, would you ever come under political pressure? Because, it is being said that the continuous change in Commissioner in the city is due to Political interference. 

A. Well, I am not worried about postings; of course, every person is worried about family and their well-being. However, transfers are the things that don’t bother an honest-and-brave officer in the department. I am here to work for the people; with the people. I want to send a message to the citizens in my city that becoming law abiding would not just help the Police, but it will also help in maintaining healthy environment in the city. So, eventually, protecting anyone in the city from the anti-social elements, irrespective of their status, gender or wealth, will be my top most priority. 

Q. Since you first arrived in the city as the Commissioner, you released your contact number in the public domain. However, ‘Community Policing’ is still active, but hardly any of the Police personal in your department is keeping track of the policy. Don’t you think that such policies which can get the department closer to the common masses must be regulated consistently? 

A. Yes, I strongly believe that the ‘Community Policing’ is for the benefit of common people and the Police personnel. Considering the shortage of Police personnel in the city, it is very important to consistently run such policies which will in return help the Police personnels to carry out their work of maintaining law and order in the city with the help of law-abiding people. Policemen are no one, but common people in uniform. No one should think they are special. We consider citizen, too, as the part of the department, so, under this Policy, people must directly report any wrongdoings in the society to the Police. For all this, the Police must develop faith in the common masses. Without the faith, we cannot carry out ‘Community Policing’. We will come up with a proper roadmap that will enable the consistency and proper execution of ‘Community Policing’ in the city. 

Q. Considering the growing crimes in the city, right from Juvenile crimes or kidnaps to robberies. How would you chalk out a plan to make it as a crime free city ? 

A. Honestly, we will be focusing on studying the reason behind crimes committed in all sections of the society. It is observed that in slums, the Juveniles elope or are kidnapped. The thing is that these juveniles consider goons as their inspiration. They get influenced from those run away from their house. After we counsel them, once they know that these are not real inspirations, half of their problems will be resolved. 

Q. Pimpri Chinchwad Police currently faces the challenges of lack of man power, RAF Squad, BDDS Squad, Independent Hospitals. So, how are you planning to chalk a strategy that will not just minimize the problems, but also come as a long-term solution ?

A. Previous commissioners have worked hard in this establishment. They have sent many proposals to the government. Those proposals are either in the DG office or with the government. Well, I will personally follow up with the proposals. However, we need to first have a land for us to have our own headquarters, so that we don’t become a burden on anyone else. Now, talking about the lack of man power, so we have already been allotted manpower of more 1200 Police personnels, but we are waiting for the recruitment. We cannot consider the recruitment drive to be held due to COVID. Thirdly, the re-organization of Police stations, DCP’s – we need four DCP’s for the city. I have already sent the proposal to the government regarding the same. 

(As per the information from the sources, the PCP is looking forward to buy a land of HA ground in Pimpri and establish the head quarters there.)