Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Police have replaced the existing Public Relations Officer (PRO) system with integrated Citizen Help Desks across all police stations to provide the public with streamlined access to services and assistance.
The new desks will take over all functions previously handled by PROs and serve as a single point of contact for people visiting police stations to lodge complaints, access digital services, or seek information and assistance, an official statement said on Saturday.
The desks will facilitate complaint submissions and issue acknowledgements. They will also provide dedicated assistance to women and ensure a safe and welcoming environment for children and their parents.
Senior citizens will receive priority assistance, while transgender persons will be provided with appropriate consideration and support. The desks will also ensure accessible services for persons with disabilities.
The Citizen Help Desks will handle complaints relating to online fraud, cybercrime, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP), the 1930 toll-free helpline and offences committed through social media.
They will also provide basic legal guidance and direct visitors to legal aid centres wherever necessary, officials said.
The desks will assist people in submitting applications for services such as Accident General Diary (GD) entries and No Objection Certificates (NOCs). They will also provide information on the various digital and online services offered by Kerala Police.
Applications under the Right to Information Act and requests for copies of First Information Reports (FIRs) can also be submitted through the desks, the statement added.
The decision has drawn criticism from Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan, who argued that replacing the PRO system with Citizen Help Desks could make it more difficult for ordinary people to approach the police.
In a Facebook post on Friday, the former chief minister said the move would undermine the concept of people-friendly policing and deprive citizens approaching police stations with complaints and grievances of the human interaction they need.
He warned that the help desks could become mere counters for processing requests rather than providing the personal interaction and reassurance people seek when approaching the police for assistance.