BHUBANESWAR: Twin cities police commissioner Saumendra Priyadarsi talks to Debabrata Mohapatra on policing, and law and order.
How is people’s response to your recent appeal to share IP details of their CCTV cameras with the police ?
Gated communities, apartments and commercial establishments have shown keen interest to get their CCTV cameras integrated with our integrated command and control centre, which is being readied for operation. Once we are ready with our command centre, we shall start the integration process. Our purpose is to improve the city’s CCTV surveillance system through collaboration with the public or communities. Like Hyderabad, we, too, will have a lot of CCTV cameras getting connected to our command and control centre.
How is the compliance by apartments?
The process is already on. We launched an initiative under the banner of residential welfare society information management system (RWSIMS), which envisages a detailed survey of apartments and their security arrangements. We have sought the names of apartments, builders, number of flats and inhabitants (whether students and working professionals) residing there, whether the building has mobile towers, boundary wall, gate, CCTV cameras and resident welfare association. People have started sharing details.
Any particular crime that has increased?
Law and order situation has been peaceful in the twin cities. However, there is a rise in cyber crime, which is a challenge for us. People in urban areas are more dependable on virtual medium. More than half of the state’s total cyber crime cases are registered in the commissionerate police area. Our technical capabilities have been progressing, though cyber criminals keep changing their modus operandi. We are in the process of establishing a robust mechanism to counter cyber crime. Our massive campaign in educational institutions has been continuing since the last one year where we are sensitising students about cyber safety measures.
Tell us about the use of technology in crime control?
Technology is a focus area of the government. Currently, CCTV cameras are in use for crime prevention and traffic management. We will soon use artificial intelligence (AI) in our integrated CCTV command and control centre. Facial recognition system will be in incorporated to get quick and more details about crime suspects captured in CCTV cameras. Technology will be a formidable force multiplier in the days to come.
How is the newly established Special Crime Unit (SCU) doing ?
Though the SCU is still at a nascent stage, it has achieved good results. The SCU’s mandate is to probe only complex cases like organised crime, drug trafficking and economic frauds within the jurisdictions of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack commissionerate police areas.
The conduct of Durga Puja with new inspectors in-charge (IIC)s was a challenge…
Many police stations in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack have got new IICs. They lived up to the expectations and got themselves adjusted to their jurisdictions in the run-up to Durga Puja. The footfall at puja pandals was unprecedented this time. DCPs of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack had drawn foolproof plans for an incident-free Dussehra and idol immersion.
How is people’s response to your recent appeal to share IP details of their CCTV cameras with the police ?
Gated communities, apartments and commercial establishments have shown keen interest to get their CCTV cameras integrated with our integrated command and control centre, which is being readied for operation. Once we are ready with our command centre, we shall start the integration process. Our purpose is to improve the city’s CCTV surveillance system through collaboration with the public or communities. Like Hyderabad, we, too, will have a lot of CCTV cameras getting connected to our command and control centre.
How is the compliance by apartments?
The process is already on. We launched an initiative under the banner of residential welfare society information management system (RWSIMS), which envisages a detailed survey of apartments and their security arrangements. We have sought the names of apartments, builders, number of flats and inhabitants (whether students and working professionals) residing there, whether the building has mobile towers, boundary wall, gate, CCTV cameras and resident welfare association. People have started sharing details.
Any particular crime that has increased?
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Law and order situation has been peaceful in the twin cities. However, there is a rise in cyber crime, which is a challenge for us. People in urban areas are more dependable on virtual medium. More than half of the state’s total cyber crime cases are registered in the commissionerate police area. Our technical capabilities have been progressing, though cyber criminals keep changing their modus operandi. We are in the process of establishing a robust mechanism to counter cyber crime. Our massive campaign in educational institutions has been continuing since the last one year where we are sensitising students about cyber safety measures.
Tell us about the use of technology in crime control?
Technology is a focus area of the government. Currently, CCTV cameras are in use for crime prevention and traffic management. We will soon use artificial intelligence (AI) in our integrated CCTV command and control centre. Facial recognition system will be in incorporated to get quick and more details about crime suspects captured in CCTV cameras. Technology will be a formidable force multiplier in the days to come.
How is the newly established Special Crime Unit (SCU) doing ?
Though the SCU is still at a nascent stage, it has achieved good results. The SCU’s mandate is to probe only complex cases like organised crime, drug trafficking and economic frauds within the jurisdictions of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack commissionerate police areas.
The conduct of Durga Puja with new inspectors in-charge (IIC)s was a challenge…
Many police stations in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack have got new IICs. They lived up to the expectations and got themselves adjusted to their jurisdictions in the run-up to Durga Puja. The footfall at puja pandals was unprecedented this time. DCPs of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack had drawn foolproof plans for an incident-free Dussehra and idol immersion.