From plans to introduce a curriculum on traffic and road safety in primary schools to cyber crimes, Bengaluru city Police Commissioner B Dayananda touched upon various issues, in a dialogue with the editorial team of TNSE.
Can you highlight the initiatives after taking charge as Commissioner of Police?
I am the 38th police commissioner for Bengaluru. It has been in existence since 1963, so we are in the 60th year of the Police Commissionerate system in Bengaluru. The post itself has a lot of charm and challenge. A lot of powers are also vested. We have the executive magistrate’s powers too. Over the years, the Bengaluru City Police has evolved, and all the previous police commissioners have contributed and it is being continued.
How will the city benefit from the Safe City Project?
When I took over, the main focus was on Safe City Project that was being implemented. Phase 1 is now complete and Phase 2 is underway. It is an ambitious project by the Government of India. The state government has jointly funded this Rs 667 crore project. Nearly 7,500 cameras have been put up all across the city, while the new command centre is going to come up next month. All our existing police control rooms and 112 Hoysala Control Room will come under this centre. All these cameras at the backend have artificial intelligence, facial, and automatic number plate recognition. We hope that this will be a game-changer for the city police.
What is Loka Spandana?
To make policing people-friendly, we have introduced ‘Loka Spanadana’ -- a public feedback system on the services of the police. At any police station in the city, anyone can independently and in a simple, speedy way give feedback on how he was treated at the police station. He can rate the police station and also leave his comments about the policemen or any issues he faced at the station. We have given a QR Code in the police station and it can be scanned to give feedback by answering 12 to 14 simple questions. At the backend, all these are aggregated, and gets monitored up to the commissioner level.
How is the response?
More than suggestions, the responses are about the delay in addressing people’s grievances at police stations. Around 85-87% of the people have given positive and satisfactory replies. For 243 Hoysala-controlled vehicles, we have public feedback. Even for the 112 emergency number, we have the feedback call and the rating is taken.
Should all complaints be registered as FIRs, given that there are discrepancies between the reported data and the actual number of cases recorded?
All complaints must be registered. The law demands that every cognisable offence has to be registered, investigated, and has to go to court. We have to adhere to the law of the land and we have no other option.
How do you describe the city as a police commissioner?
As long as there is society, there will be crimes. Crime control is like shaving. Nobody can say they have eradicated the crime from the city or jurisdiction or controlled it completely. We have to shave every day, if we don’t shave for one day it will grow a little bit. If you leave it, it will grow.
Are murder cases on rise?
Statistically, murders are coming down. All traditional crimes are coming down. We are seeing a shift from conventional to unconventional crimes like cyber crimes and economic offences... from bloody crimes to bloodless crimes, faceless, borderless, and anonymous crimes. Forget about blood, even the crime scene is not there.
Traffic is the biggest problem in the city. What is it that we are lacking to solve it?
Bengaluru has a large number of vehicles. We have about 1.2 crore vehicles registered in Bengaluru as of today, plus other vehicles coming from outside. The roads are limited, and we are facing a huge problem capacity wise. What traffic police can do, we are doing, that is to regulate traffic, put up signals at junctions.... We are also working with other civic agencies which are required for transport mobility. It is a herculean challenge. Working from home to work from the office is also adding to the existing traffic problems.
The general observation is traffic problem starts with the individual drivers...
As far as traffic is concerned, there are three ironies involved. Everybody has an opinion about traffic just like cricket in India. The second irony is that everybody thinks the other person is responsible. The third irony is everybody thinks traffic rules apply to others and not to themselves. It is a kind of mindset. Traffic ultimately is a matter of habit. For this, we are trying to change the mindset by visiting schools. We are advocating that traffic safety should be a subject taught in schools so that it is ingrained in students.
At what age is it appropriate to introduce traffic awareness into school curriculum?
We’re considering integrating it into the primary-level curriculum so that by the time students reach the eligible driving age, they will have already developed a strong understanding of traffic safety.
What about the availability of drugs on campus?
The widespread availability and increasing social acceptance of drugs pose a significant challenge, particularly among younger generations. Addressing this issue is not solely the responsibility of law enforcement, it’s a collective effort of society as a whole. We are actively engaged in combating this challenge together.
What is the current status of social media monitoring, especially with increasing cybercrimes?
Social media monitoring is crucial due to the increasing number of cases originating from online platforms and the content people share there. To enhance our capabilities, we have ensured that every police station now has at least two constables who are trained in social media monitoring. Cybercrime is a significant concern, and people need to understand that nothing comes free. It’s crucial to be aware of what not to share on social media to prevent falling into potential traps.
What is the rate of cybercrime detection?
The detection rate for cybercrime remains low. Our primary objective is to raise awareness among the public and encourage them to promptly report any cybercrime. To facilitate reporting, we have introduced a toll-free number, 1930, dedicated to assisting people in such cases.
Is there a technology in place to track and address cybercrimes?
Bengaluru is a prominent IT hub. We have established a cyber lab and we are the first in the nation to introduce a dedicated cyber police station. Today, each division has a Cyber Economic and Narcotics (CEN) police station, equipped with requisite technology to effectively address and resolve cybercrime cases. We have now initiated the process of registering cybercrime complaints at law-and-order police stations to better serve the public.
Is there a possibility that an E-FIR system will be introduced for registering complaints, similar to the process for reporting vehicle thefts?
The toll-free number has been effective in handling cybercrime cases. We may consider integrating E-FIR for cybercrime reporting in the future.
What is your stance on the proposed amendments to sections of IPC and CrPC?
Comprehensive analysis is required to determine the potential outcomes of the modifications to the sections, and it’s essential to note that the final decision regarding these changes lies largely with Parliament.
Do you hire ethical hackers to solve cybercrimes?
In cybercrime investigations, detection skills often outweigh the importance of technical and cyber knowledge. However, we do seek assistance in cases related to intellectual property or similar complex situations.
What is the public response to distress dial booths introduced by the department for emergency calls?
The response has been good. It serves as the ultimate option for individuals facing severe distress. Currently, 30 booths are available and we are in the process of adding 20 more.
What about the new police stations coming up in the city?
We will get five new traffic police stations and six women police stations and the government has already issued orders. More staff will be provided to police stations which are overburdened in terms of number of crimes or law & order duties. We will recruit 2,454 policemen in two phases in the next two years.
Has the number of pickpocket cases come down?
Yes, as the majority of people have migrated to digital payments.
Does Bengaluru need two police commissioners?
It’s a policy decision. But in my opinion, Bengaluru is a homogeneous city, unlike other cities which have two commissioners.
Are Bengaluru police using facial recognition technology to track criminals?
Under the Safe City project, we have a huge component of facial recognition. Many of the 7,500 cameras, which we have put up, have facial recognition capabilities and they have been placed strategically. The facial recognition technology itself has been improving over the years. Hopefully, we will be able to get results.
Is the data well protected?
Absolutely. We have our own servers and they have all security protocols.
How do policemen de-stress?
Stress is individual-centric. We have counsellors in the department and whoever has any issue can talk to them. What I have found is police is a uniformed force, where there is camaraderie and homogeneity. Others naturally come to support if anyone is feeling low.
What made you opt for civil service?
It is destiny. I wanted to be in public service as my father was a government servant. I ended up joining IPS.
How do you balance professional and personal life?
In service, it requires some personal and family sacrifices. In my case, my engagement was postponed by a day. I couldn’t attend both my sons’ naming ceremonies. I generally don’t deny leave to my subordinates. It is also a reason why we started sending birthday greetings to the staff and insist that leave should be given.
Is there a staff shortage?
It is there but then it’s a matter of perception. We can never get the number of people we want and hence we have to devise our own method of dealing with it, like optimum utilisation of available staff and leveraging technology. Every camera we have installed is our eyes and ears. We have to make use of technology. However, compared to other metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai or Kolkata, we are less in numbers in terms of police per one lakh population or area-wise.
What is the representation of women in the force?
It’s about 13-14 per cent and it is increasing. They are doing an excellent job. Many traffic and law & order stations are headed by women and also there are women ACPs and DCPs.
Is there anything you wanted to change but could not?
One thing we want to do but are unable to is to bring in an eight-hour work shift. Our Hoysala staff work 12 hours and many officers and staff stretch up to 15 hours. We need to improve on this front.
What is more challenging to the force, maintaining law & order or managing traffic?
The present-day challenge for us is three things -- traffic, cybercrimes and drugs.
What is the latest trend in cybercrime?
Every day, every second fraudsters are trying to defraud people using one or the other way. We have started the ‘Cyber tip a day, keeps fraudsters away’ campaign on social media, where we create awareness about different types of cybercrimes and new ways of cheating.
What facilities have been given to traffic police who are on the ground for long hours?
The chowkies protect them from sunlight, rain and pollution. There are 30 ‘Neravu’ booths, where the public can seek police assistance. These centres can also be used as resting places by the staff as there are facilities like bunker beds and toilets. Thirty more such centres will come up. Also, we are planning to introduce mobile toilets.
What suggestions would you give to citizens to prevent them from falling prey to crimes?
The citizens of Bengaluru are quite enlightened, law-abiding, cooperative and supportive of the police. The only suggestion I would like to give them is, to use your common sense to stay away from becoming a victim of physical or cyber crime.