The Cyberabad Police and Citizen Connect program through WhatsApp launched on Febraury 20 received overwhelming response from both the public and within the department.
So far after launching the program, the police received 341 complaints. A common number 9490617444 was given to the citizens to convey their grievances, videos and photographs. In all, 341 complaints were received from public, including 152 about law and order, Sound pollutions 15, public nuisance 33, Missing Persons 81and unidentified bodies 23. Besides, there were 36 crime complaints.
Of the 52 Traffic complaints, 10 were about wrong parking, 12 about Traffic violations, 20 Traffic Jams and 10 accidents. The police also received 101 miscellaneous complaints 53 suggestions from public.
Apart from this, over 10,000 Greeting Messages were given to Cyberabad Police from public informing that they have stored the number. The WhatsApp control Room received and forwarded these complaints to the police officers and whomsoever necessary the Action Taken Report was given to the complainant.
Below given are two examples of the outstanding work turned out through WhatsApp.
A message received on March 9 at 10.34 pm from a private school from Yacharam regarding missing of four boys — Bharath, Sreedhar, Shravan and Praveen — all are aged about 12. The photographs of the boys were forwarded to the concerned authorities and the four children were traced in the early hours of the next day by the neighbouring Meerpet Police based on the photographs.
Another message received on March 10 at 3 pm from Dundigal Police Station regarding a snatching took place in Suraram Colony. The photographs of the suspects were shown to the victim. She identified one of the suspects, who was caught immediately by Cyberabad Police.
On the other hand, the WhatsApp service has proved to be a boon for police officers. On the day of the launch, 10 groups of police officers were made and it has been raised to 13 groups consisting of 776 police officers. Apart from the Law & Order, crime, Traffic and the five L&O groups, WhatsApp groups have been also created for SHE Teams, FRCC (First Responder Command Center) comprising of all the Patrol cars also, Special Branch and CAR, CSW Headquarters. Officers of all ranks have been busy exchanging Photographs of Snatchers, Criminals, Missing children, Missing Women and Men, Places of VIP Bandobust, MLC elections polling centers, Traffic related photographs of Traffic issues and so on.
The most optimum benefit for Police department is the instant transfer of Photos and CCTV clippings
of suspected snatchers and HB offenders. In one case, one notorious snatcher, who was committing repeated snatchings in Kukatpally area and whose photograph was transferred through WhatsApp was picked up by LB Nagar Police based on the photograph and 25 snatching were detected from him. This has helped all officers to be in touch with what was happening in other parts in the 3700 SqKm jurisdiction of Cyberabad and helping them in reacting in their own local areas. The CP Cyberabad is able to issue common instructions on WhatsApp which is being read instantly by all officers and which are also been transmitted over Wireless simultaneously whereas DCsP are able to communicate certain instructions in their own zone through Photos and videos.
However, the Cyberabad Police is in the process of bringing in the regulations to prevent the overuse of WhatsApp facility and keep it restricted strictly for operational use. (NSS)
