Raj police become tech-savvy for reporting crime

Jaipur: Rajasthan police is seeking to take a lead in coordinating its actions through specially designed smartphone applications which will enable citizens to report crime instantly using their high-end mobile phones.

`RajCop` and `i-watch`, the two smart phone applications developed exclusively for Rajasthan police by IT major Data Infosys Limited, have certain features which are first in the country to report crime instantly using the smart phones. The application available on android phones serve as an online communication platform for officers and citizens to share photos and video clips with control room or police station concerned. It will also allow citizens to verify a domestic help or tenant and even send an alert during an emergency to police control room. "i-Watch` is for public use and `RajCop` is designed for police personnel," Sharat Kaviraj, Superintendent of Police for State Crime Records Bureau, told a news agency. "Tenant verification, crime reporting by uploading video or photo, and alert sending at emergency are the features of `i-Watch` whereas `RajCop` facilitates police to access details of the owners of any vehicle or mobile number besides prompt crime reporting," he said. For verification, `i-Watch` user needs to upload photo and details of tenant which will instantly go to the server of police station concerned. "Thereafter, a policeman will go to the spot for verification. In the process, the landlord also needs not to visit the police station and the details uploaded by the user will come handy for the cops," he said. The officer said the application has a unique feature of alert sending by just pressing a button at the time of emergency. "The moment a user presses the alert button, the police control room will receive an SMS with identifying the location of the phone user. PCR will contact the user and if he does not respond, a police team would be sent to the location which will be visible on screen in the control room," Kaviraj said. Besides, he claimed that the app user can also upload photo and video of a crime scene at the server of police control room to report the same which will be helpful for the police. The SP claimed that most of the features of the applications including alert sending are first of their kind in the country. `RajCop` enables police to upload photo, video of the crime scene and instantly merge it with FIR as evidence in a proper and smart manner. "The user has instant access to the details of the owner of mobile number or a vehicle which helps them in taking prompt action while solving the crime," Ajay Data, CEO of the Data Infosys Limited, said. Data said the files uploaded through the applications will be accessible at police control room and police stations concerned and basic training for using the apps has been given. More than 1000 people and policemen have downloaded the applications which were launched by state Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recently. Sanjay Malhotra, Commissioner of Department of IT and Communication informed that the project, aimed at increasing the efficiency and promptness for reporting the crime, was funded and supported by the state government. Kota Superintendent of Police Prafulla Kumar said he has asked SHOs to use the `RajCop` in view of its usefulness. "With the help of `RajCop`, we can access the details at any point of time that will certainly help us in solving cases more efficiently," Kumar added. PTI