Archive · 6 Aug 2026
Kerala's 'My Police Station' Reform to Launch From August 15
The Kerala government is changing how its police stations work with a big plan called 'My Police Station'.
Starting on August 15, most police stations will be led by younger officers called Sub-Inspectors, who will be the Station House Officers, the person in charge.
Before this, the plan was for more senior officers, called Circle Inspectors, to be in charge.
The new idea gives young officers a chance to build leadership skills and make more decisions.
The government hopes this will make police stations friendlier and more helpful to the public.
It also wants to stop custodial crimes, which means making sure no one in police custody is hurt or dies.
Sixty-three police stations will have women Sub-Inspectors as the officer in charge.
Senior officers will still be in charge at 64 important police stations, and they will watch over about 200 new police circles.
All the new officers in charge will get special training, and an old community policing project will also be updated.
The goal is that anyone walking into a police station is treated with dignity.
Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala announced the 'My Police Station' initiative, launching from August 15, which appoints Sub-Inspectors as Station House Officers in 419 of the state's 484 law and order police stations.
The reform reverses the previous government's decision to entrust SHO responsibility to Circle Inspectors, who will continue as SHOs only in 64 strategically important police stations.
Chennithala said the initiative aims to make police stations people-friendly and accountable, and to completely eliminate custodial crimes, including custodial deaths and custodial torture.
Sixty-three police stations will have women Sub-Inspectors serving as SHOs, and around 200 police circles will be created under Circle Inspectors for supervision.
All newly appointed SHOs will undergo orientation training, and the two-decade-old Janamaithri Suraksha community policing project will be revamped as part of the reforms.
- Who
- Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and the Kerala Police
- What
- Launch of the 'My Police Station' reform, appointing Sub-Inspectors as Station House Officers in 419 of the state's 484 law and order police stations from August 15
- When
- Announced on Thursday; the reform takes effect from August 15
- Where
- Kerala; announced at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram
- Why
- To transform police stations into people-friendly institutions, give young officers greater responsibility, and eliminate custodial crimes
Current reform (SI-led stations)
Previous policy (CI-led stations)
Who should head police stations?
Current reform (SI-led stations)
The current government's 'My Police Station' reform appoints Sub-Inspectors as SHOs in 419 stations to give young officers greater responsibility, leadership skills and decision-making ability, and to make stations more accessible and accountable to the public.
Previous policy (CI-led stations)
The previous government had decided to entrust SHO responsibility to senior Circle Inspectors; under the new reform, CIs remain SHOs only in 64 strategically important stations and instead supervise around 200 police circles.
- Initiative
- My Police Station
- Launch date
- August 15
- Stations getting SI SHOs
- 419 of 484 law and order police stations
- Stations keeping CI SHOs
- 64 strategically important stations
- Stations with women SI SHOs
- 63
- New supervisory circles
- About 200 police circles under Circle Inspectors
- Announced by
- Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala
- Also revamped
- Janamaithri Suraksha Project