The Puducherry police have initiated a standard operating procedure for utilising the services of private security guards in the current serious situation of ensuring lockdown rendered necessary by the Covid-19 threat. The notification indicates that police strength will be bolstered with the addition of the guards in enforcing lock down regulations. The notification indicates that the guards while being deployed at their stations will carry out additional duties of patrolling to assist the police.
The guards stationed in markets will also be tasked with ensuring social distancing outside shops and other essential item outlets. The notification indicates that guards have to inform the police if they notice anything amiss.
Expecting the guards to perform the duties of police without any training is obviously expecting too much. What is however debatable is the effectiveness of this notification since it still puts the onus of paying the guards on the end users who had originally hired their services. If the end users do not do so, the onus of this payment falls on the agency. It would be far better if the police itself takes over the responsibility of paying at least the minimum wages to the guards whose services they are thus utilising. SECURITY TODAY is unsure whether the scheme as notified will work out. However we will keep a watch on developments and report to our readers the success or failure of the scheme.
