Know your cops
My Name Is Unfit Red
Haima Deshpande Haima Deshpande 04 Feb, 2012
Policemen in Mumbai are now to be colour-coded by their physical fitness levels
If Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup Patnaik has his way, policemen in the city will soon be colour coded according to how healthy they are. Patnaik has decided to classify his men into three groups—green, amber and red—based on fitness levels. Duties will then be assigned accordingly. It will be applicable to policemen at all ranks.
Those who are healthy and fit will be in the green group. They will handle such strenuous field tasks as nakabandis (checkpoint patrols) and bandobasts (maintenance of order during public events). Amber group cops will comprise those who have been recently diagnosed with minor health problems. They will be given both field and desk duties, depending on the seriousness of their ailments.
The red group will have those with serious health issues such as blood pressure, heart ailments and diabetes. They will be given tasks that are not considered too stressful or strenuous.
Patnaik issued a circular on the colour codes earlier this month to all deputy commissioners of police, and has asked them to collect health related information of those working under them. It is a time-bound exercise and he is keen to implement it quickly.
The circular specifically states that detailed information on unfit officers must be provided so that instead of relegating them to the sidelines, they can be assigned duties in positions that do not require a high level of fitness. According to Mumbai Police spokesman Nisar Tamboli, the commissioner wants to give officers with health problems duties that can also help them take care of their health.
Police chiefs in the past have also emphasised fitness levels of policemen, but this colour coding is the first time that such a categorisation is being undertaken. Can’t blame cops for being a bit nervous about it.
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