IPS officer Pritpal Kaur wins IACP award for works in border areas

Says service is the real mantra of police uniform

DIMAPUR — The Superintendent of Police (SP) Phek, Dr. Pritpal Kaur, has been selected for the prestigious International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) 40 under 40 Award, in recognition of her exemplary leadership and unwavering commitment to the police profession.

The IACP 40 under 40 Award program is designed to recognise 40 law enforcement professionals, under the age of 40 from around the world, who demonstrate leadership and exemplify commitment to their profession. It is held annually.

Speaking to Eastern Mirror on Sunday following the announcement, Kaur said that she was extremely happy and satisfied that works along international borders, which were invisible earlier, are visible and recognised today.

When asked about the challenges law enforcement officers face—which are often overlooked—in remote areas, she mentioned that the biggest challenges involved deficiencies in logistics and transportation.

The police officer, who has now been SP of Noklak, Longleng and Phek, observed that it is always the locals at the grassroots who actually help in addressing those challenges. She opined that this kind of recognition will encourage and motivate officers and people working in border areas of Nagaland.

“Yes it’s difficult to work in far-flung areas,” she said, adding that all officers should give their best nonetheless because service is the real mantra of police uniform.

The IACP recognition was for a plethora of works she has initiated among the marginalised communities. Chief among them are free coaching for UPSC/NPSC and other departmental exams for 6 months when she was SDPO Tuensang. Seven students cleared the exams.

During her stint as the first-ever SP of Noklak, Kaur introduced the ‘Fighting drugs/insurgency with education and livelihood’ project. Through this, she introduced sublingual OST treatment to drug addicts (dependents) and provided counselling, rehabilitation and livelihood training to them (farming, handicrafts, handloom, making bio-fertilisers etc).

In addition, she facilitated a 7-month free coaching for UPSC/NPSC and other departmental exams, along with study materials, for students from the Indo-Myanmar border, one of the most neglected regions of Nagaland.

Then came the setting up of a sanitary pads making unit along with National Innovation Foundation (NIF) at the Indo-Myanmar Border (IMB) border; followed by establishing the Taste of Noklak Society, comprising 200 farmers who were engaged in the production of 17 herbal products.

She also facilitated the first-ever computer lab at GHSS Noklak.

Being a dentist, she was involved in creating awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco products, paan, tamul, gutka, as well as about HIV/TB, hepatitis, STD, scrub typhus, and other health hazards.

Under her leadership, a juvenile-cum-child friendly room was established at Women PS Tuensang for providing help to women inmates and juveniles in conflict with law, or children in need of care.