Women’s safety and curtailing rowdyism top priorities, says new commissioner of Greater Chennai Police

Chennai: “Swift action to prevent and respond to crimes against women and children in the city will be my priority”, said the new commissioner of police A Amalraj on Thursday. The 1996-batch IPS officer, who assumed office on Friday, added that controlling rowdyism will be the key to ensure peace in the city.

Soon after being given a ceremonial welcome and taking charge, Amalraj proceeded to Lok Bhavan at Guindy to review security arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony of MLAs Shahjahan of IUML and Vanni Arasu of VCK as ministers in the cabinet of chief minister C Joseph Vijay. The commissioner later held a review meeting with subordinate officers and inspected arrangements at Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium, where the Singappen Special Task Force is scheduled to be inaugurated. Officials said the event would be among the first major programmes to be conducted after Vijay assumed office.

A native of Kanyakumari district, Amalraj completed BSc and MSc in physics and represented his college at hockey tournaments. He began his career as an assistant superintendent of police in Tiruppur after joining Indian Police Service in 1996. He later served as deputy commissioner of police in Madurai and superintendent of police in Dharmapuri, Theni, Kancheepuram and Villupuram districts. He subsequently held the posts of deputy inspector-general of police in Ramanathapuram, Trichy and Salem ranges. After his promotion as inspector-general of police, Amalraj served as commissioner of police in Salem, Coimbatore and Trichy cities. He also worked as additional commissioner of police at the Chennai police headquarters before being promoted as additional director-general of police. He later served two terms as Tambaram city commissioner of police.

During his tenure in Coimbatore, Salem, Trichy and Tambaram commissionerates, he expanded surveillance camera networks to strengthen crime monitoring. While serving in Coimbatore, he established a police museum. He later assisted in setting up the police museum at Egmore during his tenure as additional commissioner in Chennai.

Amalraj received the ‘President’s Police Medal’ for distinguished service and the ‘Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Medal’ for meritorious service. He also authored five books — “Management Traits That Bring Success to Police Officers”, “If You Want to Win, You Can Win”, “Spread Your Wings”, “Learn to Fight”, and “Success Secrets of the Wise”.