Role of police in preventing the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing, quarantine and lockdown: An evidence-based comparison of outcomes across two districts

The COVID-19 pandemic is a formidable challenge to societies and governments across the world. The non-medical interventions of social distancing, quarantine and lockdown have been adopted to prevent transmission of the disease by contact. In some countries, police have been used to enforce public health laws. This research analyses data from two districts in the State of Kerala, India to examine whether police efforts had any impact on the outcome of reducing transmission of the disease by contact. Analysing the different methods used by the police across the two districts, this study concludes that police efforts at non-medical interventions reduce the spread of the disease. The study also concludes that, in contrast to mere enforcement of public health laws and regulations, the strategic use of resources is an important factor in achieving better outcomes.