Don’t Argue, You Are on Camera! Now City’s Traffic ASIs are Armed with Body-Cameras

Don’t Argue, You Are on Camera! Now City’s Traffic ASIs are Armed with Body-Cameras

Mangaluru: Beware, traffic-rule violators! Next time if you are caught while crossing the yellow line, riding a vehicle without wearing a helmet or jumping the signal, or any other traffic violations you can not escape easily by arguing with the policemen. Every violation will be recorded in the Body-Cameras and you are sure to pay the fine. Even your conversation or arguments with the traffic police will be recorded, so you can’t escape with excuses. The city traffic police have procured handy body cameras to record violations by vehicle riders and pedestrians, and.

Nearly 40 body cameras have been purchased to upgrade the traffic system in the city, and only ASIs are provided with such cameras, and each police station is provided with two or three cameras to check traffic rule violations in their respective station limits. All traffic ASIs will be given cameras with which they can easily substantiate violations, like parking the vehicle in a no-parking zone or travelling one-way from the wrong direction, and other violations. As per Police Commissioner Kuldeep Kusmr R Jain and DCP (Crime & Traffic) Dinesh Kumar, the body-worn cameras on traffic police have effectively brought down verbal altercations between them and the public. It should be noted that in December 2021, the government made it mandatory for traffic policemen, directly involved in penalising errant motorists, to wear body cameras. These body cameras can capture video and audio.

ASI Jagadish K P, aged 52 (Kadri East Police Station) has been in service for nearly 30 years

The public wanted to know whether managing traffic in peak hours was important or penalising offenders. They also pointed out verbal altercations between traffic police and motorists when vehicles are flagged down. “Both are important as they go hand in hand. But these days, a verbal altercation that commonly breaks out when police stop motorists have drastically come down because of body-worn cameras. Since both parties are aware of the cameras, there is less scope for unwanted arguments,” said Top Cop and DCP.

ASI Vishwanath Rai aged 57 (Kadri East Police Station) with 30 years of service

To increase efficiency and streamline work, the Mangaluru Traffic Police has divided its department staff into teams to look into traffic regulation, enforcement and prosecution, said officials Thursday. To this end, nearly 40-50 body cameras have been issued to the unit in charge of prosecution and enforcement to help them catch people who are speeding or not wearing seat belts and other such offences. The cameras are attached to the uniform and are mandatory for traffic personnel as per ministry guidelines. While deployment has increased over time, issues regarding increasing violations, pending challans, corruption and traffic jams couldn’t be solved efficiently, said police officials. The new system will help overcome these issues, they added.

ASI Dayananda M C (Traffic Police West-Pandeshwar) has 30 years of service

ASI Jayantha P (Traffic Police West-Pandeshwar) has 27 years of service

If everything goes as planned, cops with cameras fixed on their bodies will be monitoring traffic movement and remain in touch with their colleagues at junctions across the city. The live feeds from the body-worn cameras will help cops in diverting traffic to other roads in case of emergencies. This tech-based facility was added to enable smooth and safe traffic movement. The project mainly includes cameras that can be worn by traffic cops and record traffic-related events. The cameras work at night also. Using this device, make cops more responsible and polished while interacting with the public

As per an asi, a middle-aged man was booked under section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty) after he attacked a traffic police constable for clicking her picture while she was driving without a seat belt. “The incident was recorded in the body-worn camera and it helped in booking the motorist. At the same time, with body-worn cameras on them, cops will behave more responsibly,” he said.