Karnataka's police force to have more women

Conceding that the number of women in the state police is low, home minister KJ George said more members of the fairer sex would be inducted into the force.

He said currently, the number of women in the state’s police stood at 6%, adding that it would be increased to at least 20%. He also said that preference would be given to tribal women if they come forward to join the force as they are considered to be relatively physically stronger.

According to statistics available with the State Crime Record Bureau, there are only 3,661 women the state’s police force, including IGP Malini Krishnamurthy. In addition, there are only 10 women officers in the rank of additional superintendent of police to superintendent of police, 17 deputy superintendents of police, 28 police inspectors, 87 sub-inspectors, 191 assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs), 533 head constables and 2,794 police constables.

There are 63,926 civil police, including district armed police, of which, there are only 3,661 women. There are no women in the 8,313 personnel-armed police (City Armed Reserve) and Karnataka State Reserve Police forces .

According to the National Crime Records Bureau statistics, Karnataka occupies eighth place when it comes to the number of women in the police force. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are in the first and second place respectively. These are the only two states to have more than 10,000 women police officials in the entire nation.

Maharashtra has 17,134 women officials, Tamil Nadu has 12,085, Uttar Pradesh 6,488, Rajasthan 4,941, Delhi 4,674, Punjab 4,649, and Odisha 3,775.

A senior police officer said the presence of women in the police force would help prevent crimes against women and also encourage victims of rape and sexual assaults to file police complaints.  The city police is set to recruit 10,000 police personnel in the next five years, of which 33% of the posts will be reserved for women. According to the city police records, there are only 11 women police inspectors, 34 women PSIs, 210 women head constables and 755 constables.