Police stations are fearsome places for many. Movies, perception, and a legacy of horror stories that have made headlines in the past ensure that most men and and women hesitate before visiting one, for whatever reason. Ask a child his view of a police station and chances of getting a negative reaction are high.

But at an Itanagar police station, it is common to see children, many in school uniform, entering the premises to spend half a day or more learning, interacting, playing there. This is the result of a concerted effort by young and enthusiastic police officers to ensure the safety of children in a region which is often targetted by traffickers who lift or buy children to sell them into the sex trade.

Ringing in this change with quiet determination are Rohit Rajbir Singh, the SP and the Station CO, Rina Sonam. Realising that the first step to help young victims of abuse and violence, and to curb the trafficking mafia, would be to befriend children and be able to know their vulnerabilities, the duo set about establishing the station precincts to be a child-friendly place. An illustrated cut-out of Sonam and a male police officer proclaiming them Mascots of Our Police Ajin (home) was placed at the entry point to the station, to welcome children.

A floor above an entire child-friendly floor was created, a classroom for children with colourful maps, the alphabet in English and Braille, books and toys. Interactive sessions are made possible with digital whiteboards, and mics, and a little wooden stage. Teams of school children are invited to attend lectures, demos, story telling or art sessions. And speakers, singers, artists and other talented guests are invited to interact with the children whenever Itanagar holds its literary, music or theatre festivals.

It is a way of building a communication bridge with the young generation. And thus building up the confidence in children that they can, without fear reach out to report any abuse or violence they may be being subjected or witness to at home or in school or elsewhere, by dropping a note into the boxes that have been set up in their school premises for that purpose.

Providing counselling

To address the high incidence of child abuse, ranging from beatings and bullying to rape, SP Singh extended the Ajin project to providing counselling and treatment for the victims, at the station’s ‘One-stop Centre’. An MoU was signed with the PhD students of psychology at the Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar, to help heal and rehabilitate young victims. It was on a one-on-one ratio of counsellor to child, with the connection continuing for up to a year or till the child felt there was no need to interact with the counsellor any more. Legal help is also extended to victims.

Singh and Sonam, as SP and CO, worked closely to ensure trafficking cases were brought to light. And 11 months ago they were able to rescue two pre-teens who had been trafficked and were being sexually abused by four men. Careful investigation revealed a huge ring of 32 people involved in the trafficking, including high ranking people, some even from the police ranks. Today even as the two survivors are being led out of their trauma, steps are being taken to bring the guilty to book.

It’s a brave and unusual extension of the protective role that the police is expected to play in society. It needs patience and sincerity to deliver results.

The effort has started showing results. The board that details offences that are brought to light and the cases registered against offenders shows that cases have fallen sharply in the past two years.

It’s a small but significant beginning. That a man spearheaded it, and is working with women police personnel to carry it forward, is all the more worthy of notice, and emulation.

What stops other police stations from following this example, to prevent crimes against children?

The writer is a Consulting Editor with Penguin India