SHIMLA -2 November, 2026-Spokesperson, Himachal Pradesh Police, today here informed that in line with the vision and directions of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, HP Police has launched ‘School CONNECT-School Safety & Student Protection Initiative’ to strengthen child protection, campus security and coordination between police, educational institutions and parents.

As part of this initiative, DGP Ashok Tewari, today chaired an interactive meeting with principals and representatives of 27 schools at Police Headquarters, Shimla. He said that the initiative builds upon the successful Police–University Connect Programme extends structured police engagement to schools, with a special focus on preventive policing and safeguarding children from emerging safety and security threats.

The meeting deliberated on several important aspects of school safety, including CCTV surveillance at entry and exit points, visitor verification, access control, staff verification and regular security assessments. Emphasis was also laid on preventing kidnapping, sexual abuse, bullying, harassment and exploitation, along with greater awareness about the POCSO Act and timely reporting of incidents.

He said that recognizing the growing challenges in the digital environment, schools were sensitized about cyberbullying, online grooming, sextortion, deepfakes and other cyber threats. He stressed upon the need to protect students from chitta and other drugs was also highlighted, with a call for active participation in the Chief Minister-led Anti-Chitta Jan Andolan.

Other key areas discussed included school transportation safety, verification of drivers and support staff, disaster preparedness, evacuation drills and awareness about the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS-112). The importance of designated police nodal officers, school safety committees and regular interaction between schools and local police was also emphasised.

DGP Ashok Tewari underscored that child safety is a collective responsibility and that CCTV coverage, proper supervision, staff verification and timely information-sharing must become an integral part of school management.

He added that the objective of the initiative is not merely to respond to incidents after they occur, but to identify potential risks and prevent untoward incidents through awareness, vigilance and coordinated action.

He said that while the University CONNECT focuses on engagement with students in higher educational institutions, School CONNECT takes this outreach to an earlier and more vulnerable stage of childhood, reinforcing HP Police's commitment to safe schools and a secure environment for every child.