Date:21/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/21/stories/2008072159850300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Police ask cyber-savvy people to help probe crime

Raghava M.

Lawmakers invite citizen journalists to contribute to website

People can share photos and video clips about crime
‘It will pre-empt crime and help in solving cases’

BANGALORE: If you are among those who upload photographs and video clips of events and crime-related news to newspapers and media channels, here is one more opportunity: you can send them to the police too.

The Karnataka State Police has made a provision in its new website ( www.ksp.gov.in) for people to share photographs and video clips about any crime that has occurred or of those which might help police in detecting a crime.

“By doing so, people can help us not only pre-empt serious crime but also in solving existing cases,” said Director-General and Inspector-General of Police R. Sri Kumar.

People have to click on the feature called “Passinfo”. Here they have to provide all the information about the crime in the prescribed format. JPG images of sizes less than 500k and video files of less than 2.5 MB that can then be sent along with the information.

If there are more images and video files, they can be sent by email to passinfo@kspgov.in

Seriousness

The police are serious and are educating people about some of the basic facts related to criminal jurisprudence. The informants are directed to have a look at the “frequently asked questions” section (FAQ). The FAQs explain in simple words about various aspects such as arrest, lock-up, summons, warrant, police organisational setup, ways to identify policemen and about firearms.

Improvement

This is among the changes that the police are introducing in investigating crime. “We want a qualitative improvement in our investigation,” Mr. Kumar said.

The police are to use a number of documentation devices to analyse the scene of crime. The investigation officer will be provided with mobile phones which will help in sending MMS to senior officers. The police will also be given devices that will help in uploading photographs and videos from the crime scene.

Videoconference

Mr. Kumar said the video conferencing facility will make it possible to get in touch with senior police officials and take their help in analysing crime. Fingerprint experts, bomb detection squads and police personnel trained in those fields will be used in collection of evidence.

“These changes will be brought over a period of time,” Mr. Kumar said.