Pune police force has only 15% women

Of the total 8,500-strong city police department, only 1,141 women occupy posts, less than 15% of the total strength.

In 2010, Pune city got its first woman police commissioner, Meeran Chadha Borwankar. The strength of women police officers and personnel in the city is one woman police commissioner, one assistant commissioner of police (ACP) Pushpa Deshmukh, senior inspector Sushma Chavan handling Cantonment police station, seven inspectors, 11 assistant police inspectors (API), 38 police sub-inspectors (PSI), 16 assistant sub-inspectors (ASI), 38 head constables (HC), 129 police naiks and 899 women constables.

In 2011, cases of atrocities against women reached a peak of 619 registered cases till November. There were 605 cases in 2010 and 607 cases in 2009 for similar offences.

Meeran Chadha Borwankar, city police commissioner told DNA, “My primary focus is that women who are victims must come forward and register the complaints. To address public grievances every day citizens meet me between 4 and 5 pm at the commissioner’s office. Most complaints are related to women and being a lady, the victim can discuss her personal issue without unhesitantly.”

She urged women to join the police force to solve the issues.