Maha police to go hi-tech in 2011

Look forward to electronic night patrol units and a Rs 2,000 crore integrated police system to throw up criminal records in seconds

Look forward to electronic night patrol units and a Rs 2,000 crore integrated police system to throw up criminal records in seconds

A Hi-tech security system will be the latest mantra of law enforcing agencies. Speaking to SUNDAY MiD DAY, State Director General of Police D Shivanandan, said, "We recently held a Risk Assessment Scenarios and Planning session with senior police officers and panel experts, who identifiedu00a0communalism, terrorism and naxalism as the three biggest internal security challenges for the state of Maharashtra."

Ahmed Javed, police commissioner, Navi Mumbai says the Citizen Facilitation Center (CFC) will be set up for non-emergency services

"Community policing will be practised aiming at effective crime control, reduced fear of crime and improved police legitimacy through a proactive reliance on community resources. It assumes a need for greater accountability of police and greater public share in decision-making," the DG said.

The first batch of officials from the Maharashtra Intelligence academy have already begun work.

The department has tied up with YB Chavan Open University in Nasik to provide a long-distance graduation course for constables, and an MBA degree programme for officers.u00a0 Over 10,000 constables across the state have already enrolled for this academic year.

Shivanandan added, "An additional police officers training academy will be made operational to train 500 officers at Turchi in Sangli, other than the Nasik police officers academy. By the end of 2011, we will have dedicated helicopters for fighting naxals. The helicopters and pilots will be stationed at Ghadchiroli."u00a0

Union Home secretary GK Pillai, speaking to SMD from New Delhi, confirmed the news. "We have already started work on the CCIS (Crime and Criminal Information System) and the centre has sanctioned Rs 2,000 crore for an integrated policing system, which will provide details of any wanted criminal within seconds." An additional
Rs 2,000 crore will be spent on training the constabulary forces, whose training had stopped after the entry level, until now.

Plans for 2011
Said Rajneesh Sheth, Joint Commissioner (L&O), Mumbai, "We are emphasising coastal security, enhancing our Quick Response Team (QRT), upgrading the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad with hi-tech gadgets and equipment, besides laying an emphasis on reaching out to the community."

SPS Yadav, Police Commissioner, Thane said, "We will be the first police unit in India to electronically monitor the night patrolling parties in order to make the night rounds more effective.

A mandate will be set up to ensure that every night patrol team is equipped with gadgets and their movements will be monitored. A biometric attendance system will be put in place at police stations, for accused who are out on bail, to inform the courts accordingly. Stringent action will be taken against those who register false complaints at police stations."u00a0

Ahmed Javed, Police Commissioner, Navi Mumbai said, "We want to integrate security policing measures in crime prevention and detection by deploying 70 plus beat marshals and control room vehicles. Community policing will be our core area of expansion. We will enhance the cyber cell division of the police, and are planning to set up a Citizen Facilitation Center (CFC) for handling non-emergency police services, at the police HQ."