Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Police have replaced the existing PRO system with integrated Citizen Help Desks across all police stations to provide the public with streamlined access to services and assistance.

The Citizen Help Desks will take over all functions previously handled by Public Relations Officers and serve as a single point of contact for people visiting police stations to lodge complaints, access digital services or seek information and assistance, a statement said on Saturday.

The desks will facilitate the submission of complaints and issue acknowledgements. They will provide dedicated assistance to women and ensure a safe and welcoming environment for children and their parents, the statement said.

Senior citizens will receive priority assistance, while transgender persons will be provided appropriate consideration and support. The desks will also ensure accessible services for persons with disabilities.

Their services will cover complaints relating to online fraud, cybercrime, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (NCRP), the 1930 toll-free helpline and offences committed through social media.

The help desks will offer basic legal guidance and direct visitors to legal aid centres wherever necessary, officials said.

They will assist people in submitting applications for services such as Accident General Diary (GD) entries and No Objection Certificates (NOCs), besides providing information on various digital and online services offered by Kerala Police.

Applications under the Right to Information Act and requests for copies of First Information Reports (FIRs) can also be submitted through the desks, the statement added.

Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday criticised the state government's decision to replace the PRO system in police stations with Citizen Help Desks, arguing that the move would make it more difficult for ordinary people to approach the police.

In a Facebook post, the former chief minister said the decision would undermine the concept of people-friendly policing and deprive citizens approaching police stations with complaints and grievances of the human interaction they needed.

He warned that the help desks could become mere counters for processing requests, instead of offering the personal interaction and reassurance people need when approaching the police for assistance.