BHUBANESWAR: In a move to enhance police visibility and ensure transparency in operation in the state capital, Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena has directed police officials to share their patrolling location photographs during night hours on a WhatsApp group.
The WhatsApp group has all police officers including Meena, additional DCPs, ACPs, IICs and personnel engaged in patrol duties.
“This step has been taken to increase our visibility and ensure the safety and security of the citizens. The officers and personnel have been asked to share their patrolling location photographs from 12 am to 5 am every night. This will strengthen monitoring and make patrolling effective,” said Meena.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had recently raised concern over the rising incidence of thefts in the capital city and instructed the police to take concrete steps to curb such crimes.
Meena reviewed the emergency response support system - Dial 112 and PCR patrolling - after taking charge as the new city DCP last week. There are 29 vehicles of ERSS and 15 PCRs. One police station vehicle is also being engaged in night patrolling.
Sources said ERSS and PCR vehicles are equipped with GPS and their movements are being monitored at the police control room here during night time. Police stations have also formed separate WhatsApp groups consisting of the members of the apartments in their areas.
If security guards of apartments are found to be napping during the night, police are clicking their photographs and sharing them on the WhatsApp group along with a message to either warn them to remain alert or replace them.
Police were on the tenterhooks after Bhubaneswar witnessed an alarming rise in thefts from apartments with armed criminals targeting gated communities as well as residential colonies and ATMs. This prompted increased police efforts to address the crimes committed by both local and inter-state criminals.
Sources said the centralised group on the messaging platform will help improve the response time of the patrolling teams. “If patrolling officers receive information or notice any theft then they can share the photographs of the location in the group to alert all the teams performing duties in the night. This will enhance our coordinated efforts to check such crimes and nab the criminals,” said a police officer.
Besides patrolling, police officers are now visiting CCTV rooms of 40 to 50 apartments every night to check if anti-social elements are attempting to trespass into the buildings, said sources.