Bengaluru police take tech-savvy route

BENGALURU: The police are now tapping social media such as WhatsApp to circulate information regarding chain snatchers and other offenders and exhorting the public to provide information. Instead of resorting to conventional methods such as wall posters of offenders to raise public awareness, the police recently circulated CCTV footage of some chain snatchers on WhatsApp.

Additional Commissioner (West) B.N.S Reddy said, “We are exercising social media for our advantage. With this new initiative, the police along with civilians are able to share critical information in a very smooth and a systematic manner. Be it law and order issue, traffic related issue or any suspicious activity, everything is being shared and circulated amongst beat leaders. At times, the input given by the group members helps police in crime detection.”

The jurisdictional inspector or sub-inspector will administer the WhatsApp group in their jurisdiction. Each police station will have over four to six beats to keep abreast of latest developments in the city. The beat leader, a policeman, will be in charge of the group with over 20 to 25 members. Each beat will be assigned specific areas to look over.

The members of these WhatsApp groups consist of police officials and citizens representing various sections and cross-sections of society. To join the group, one has to approach their jurisdictional police station and meet the inspector.

Recently, the police inspector of Byatarayanapura police station circulated the CCTV footage of a mobile phone snatcher seeking help from citizens to help nab the miscreant.
While with the help of one of such WhatsApp group created in Ashok Nagar police station, a local who was a member of the group, circulated the picture of tree fall in Anepalya on May 30 evening which had claimed life of a man leaving three other injured.

The beat police officers claim that their work has become easier after establishing a direct connect with citizens on WhatsApp groups. The information comes handy and is just a tap away. “As we are living in a digital age, we are using it to create awareness among the people with the help of social media tool like WhatsApp to stay connected and exchange information with citizens,” said a police officer.