In Kerala's Kannur, the Children and Police initiative is hoping to foster friendly relations between the twain

The khaki shade should not instil fear. This is what the police in Kerala are trying to convince students in Kannur district  The Children And Police (CAP) project not only aims to bridge the gap between the police and the students but also hopes to create a friendly relationship between the two.

As part of CAP, three police stations in the district -- Kannur Town, Koothuparamba and Panur - have been functioning as child-friendly police stations. There is a child welfare officer in each of these three police stations to head the programmes conducted in connection with the project. Following government instructions, there is an activity calendar, based on which various programmes will be at regular intervals.

Sreejith Koderi, SHO, Kannur Town police station, said, "Our aim is to change the image of police in the minds of children. Usually, police are depicted as monsters, who can inflict torture and instil fear. But, the fact of the matter is that police are there to help children. We fight against evil forces to keep children safe." 

"Earlier, we ran a Sunday clinic for students with the help of a few paediatricians in the district. But, as COVID hit, it was shut down. We are planning to resume the clinic at the Town police station," Koderi added.

The CAP project was launched on November 14, celebrated as children's day in memory of Jawaharlal Nehru, with an awareness programme for students at the Town police station. Instead of routine classes and exercises, the police gave children the task of making short films based on themes such as fighting against drugs, alcohol and violence. "The response has been encouraging and we are confident that children will surely come up with some creative original works," Koderi said.

"With the implementation of this project, we hope children would be able to talk freely to the police about their issues without any fear," Koderi added.