Police kids take care of their lives, and others’

A small Karnataka police initiative to train the children of its personnel is paying big — giving the state its private civil defence f...

A small Karnataka police initiative to train the children of its personnel is paying big — giving the state its private civil defence force and the retiring policemen the security of an earning family member.

The 30-member first batch that passed out in 2001 after its three-month Super Security Service Training course was lapped up within a fortnight by Bangalore’s security agencies.

The students, who had completed their schooling and were unemployed for some years, were trained in civil defence, fire-fighting, emergency procedures, rifle training and unarmed combat.

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‘‘The course is so popular that the second batch had 70 students. And all of them have been offered jobs by private security agencies,’’ said Raghavendra Auradkar, DIG, Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP).

The programme, which was started under the state police welfare programme, trains children of retired and serving personnel. The course fee is nominal and half of it is paid for by the department. Candidates from outside Bangalore get free accommodation.

‘‘Considering the demand for the third batch, I have written to the 10 KSRP commandants to put up notices so that we can start such courses in Mysore, Shimoga, Shiggaon, Mangalore, Belgaum and Gulbarga where the battalions are stationed. If there are enough who sign up, we can have it either at the local battalion level or at prominent centres,’’ Auradkar said.

The trainees are taught advanced civil defence training by Home Guards, basic fire-fighting by fire personnel, first aid by the St John’s Ambulance Association, karate and other unarmed combat tactics, civilian rifle training with a .22 rifle, parade and drill.

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The idea to instill a sense of discipline and seriousness in the youth came from former KSRP DIG Kempaiah. ‘‘Instead of the youth getting wayward, the officers thought they could give them a chance to get employment. The advantage is that if they apply for KSRP or any police job in future, the certificate given at the end of the course could get them more weightage,’’ said Auradkar. ‘‘Senior officers, including Bangalore Police Commissioner H.T. Sangliana, like the idea and encouraged the officers to train the youth.’’

According to the DIG, several private security agencies have thanked the KSRP for the training programme. ‘‘If they employ these boys, they will know their antecedents and their worth,’’ he said.