Coimbatore police to use body worn cameras for better surveillance

COIMBATORE: With an aim to provide better traffic, and law and order management in city, the Coimbatore City police and Uyir (a people’s initiative against road traffic accidents) together launched body-worn cameras for Coimbatore cops on July 17.

A total of 70 body worn cameras have been handed over to the police personnel which will be used by both the cops working in traffic department and law and order department. The body worn camera will be fixed on the uniforms of the cops.

Sumit Sharan, Commissioner of Police, at the launch said that the body worn cameras can be used to live stream visuals in the police control room as well as record the visuals in the device at the same time. “The cameras will bring more transparency into the work of police personnel as whatever they are doing is recorded. This will also improve the satisfaction of the public with regard to the work of the police,” he said.

Out of the 70 body worn cameras, 20 devices will have sim card integration for use of internet connection to live stream visuals. Remaining 50 cameras will not have sim card slots, they will only be used for recording purpose. The cameras can record visuals for up to 8 hours after full charge. The cameras will also be used for surveillance during processions, public meetings and other events.

S Rajasekaran, managing trustee of Uyir, said that the launch of the body worn cameras was one of the efforts to strive towards ‘target zero’ in reducing accidents in Coimbatore which stands next to Chennai for fatalities on roads in the State.

Earlier the city police installed smart cameras at five signals in the city, which made police to register 1,400 cases of traffic violation detected by the cameras and Rs 6 lakh have been collected in fines from offenders.