Arul R.B. Krishna assumed charge as the District Police Chief (Thiruvananthapuram City) on Monday. He succeeded K. Karthick, who has been transferred as Deputy Inspector General of Police, Thrissur Range.

A 2012-batch IPS officer of the Kerala cadre, Dr. Krishna was serving as the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ernakulam Range, before his latest posting. A native of Thiruvananthapuram, he holds MBBS and MD degrees and brings with him a diverse policing background that includes stints as Aide-de-Camp to the Governor, Superintendent of Police (Railways) and Deputy Commissioner of Police, Thiruvananthapuram City Police a decade ago.

Speaking to The Hindu after assuming office, Dr. Krishna said his familiarity with the city and its policing challenges would help him develop a holistic understanding of issues affecting law and order in the capital.

“My focus will be on strengthening basic policing to ensure a safe and secure environment for the public to carry on with their normal lives,” he said.

Emphasising the need for community participation, he pointed out that policing would not function in isolation, but in close coordination with the public. He said resident associations, merchants’ organisations and local communities would be actively involved in policing initiatives.

“We want every citizen to become a partner in policing. The people should feel confident about sharing information, offering suggestions and working with the police to uphold law and order,” he said.

The officer also stressed on the growing importance of technology in policing as Thiruvananthapuram undergoes rapid transformation, particularly with the emergence of the Vizhinjam International Seaport.

“Thiruvananthapuram is poised for a major development trajectory. As the city evolves into an international port city, policing too must keep pace with emerging challenges. Technology will be leveraged to ensure safety and security, and raise policing standards to global levels,” he said.

Regarding the challenges posed by the evolving political scenario in the city, which recently witnessed incidents including violence during the Enforcement Directorate raid at former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence and that at Vattiyurkavu following the arrest of a Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillor, Dr. Krishna said maintaining public convenience would remain the primary concern.

“Political parties have every right to carry out their legitimate activities as guaranteed by law. At the same time, such activities should not disrupt normal life. Our focus will be on ensuring public convenience and maintaining peace,” he said.

To prevent instances of violence, the police would strengthen the intelligence network to pre-empt violence and adopt timely action based on advance information, he added.

The officer also reiterated the City Police’s commitment to anti-narcotics enforcement. He said there would be no let-up in initiatives such as Operation Thoofan, the ongoing drive against drug abuse and trafficking. Dr. Krishna added various avenues would be explored to address concerns about the shortages of drug-testing kits, including collaboration with non-governmental organisations.