KOCHI: Taking a cue from similar measures elsewhere, Kochi City police have introduced shoulder-mounted blinking lights for their personnel involved in nighttime traffic management and patrols. The initiative intends to improve visibility and ensure the safety of officers on roads.
Introduced by city commissioner Kaliraj Mahesh Kumar, it involves the use of wearable LED lights along with reflective jackets by cops on evening and night shifts. The move is intended to make the officers visible to motorists, particularly in low-light conditions and heavy traffic.
“We have been using the shoulder blinkers after 6pm,” a traffic officer said. “Along with reflective jackets, they help personnel stand out on the roads,” he added.
The officer noted that poor visibility can sometimes put personnel at risk of moving vehicles. “The objective is to prevent accidents involving officers who may not be easily noticed by motorists, especially during night duty,” he said.
The initiative, introduced around a month ago, is not limited to traffic personnel. According to the officer, the devices have been provided to cops on various other beats and are expected to be particularly useful during night patrols.
“They were initially bought as part of election-related deployment, and have since remained part of operations,” Deputy Commissioner Shahansha K S said.
Around 70 shoulder blinkers have been distributed, with a focus on personnel engaged in night duties. “There have been instances where poor visibility has led to accidents involving police officers. Given the traffic conditions in the city, the blinkers help motorists identify the presence of police personnel from a distance,” Shahansha added.
The initiative comes amid growing emphasis on road safety and the protection of personnel working in high-risk traffic environments.