Police officers to get one mandatory weekly day off; Kerala govt issues directive

Thiruvananthapuram: Police officers in the state will be given one mandatory weekly day off, according to a directive issued by the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, to district police chiefs. All police officers, including Station House Officers (SHOs), should be given one day off every week on a rotational basis, subject to the exigencies of service.

The directive states that weekly offs should be arranged only after ensuring adequate personnel and supervision at police stations. The off days should be included in the duty roster in advance so that public safety and essential police operations are not affected. When an SHO takes the weekly day off, charge of the station should be handed over to another designated officer.

The directive also states that police officers should be permitted to take leave on important family occasions, such as their children's birthdays and wedding anniversaries. Such leave should ordinarily be granted and should be denied only in cases of a genuine emergency or unavoidable duty requirement. Whenever leave is denied, the concerned authority must record clear reasons for the decision.

The measures are aimed at ensuring the physical and mental well-being of police officers who work continuously in stressful situations, reducing work-related stress and strengthening family support, the directive said.