With winter setting in, the Gurugram Traffic Police has fastened its belt to rein in drunken driving. It has got 18 alcohol breath analysers, installed with audio-video cameras to catch the violators of traffic norms and record anti-social activities and behavior in the city.
Police personnel would be deployed on important stretches of Gurugram like MG Road, Sohna Road, Golf Course Road and Golf Course Extension Road to catch anti-social elements and those indulging in drunken driving.
As of now around 18 inbuilt video cameras, alcohol meters have been distributed to traffic police and patrolling teams while policing the upscale areas like South City, Sushant Lok, DLF and on Mehrauli-Gurugram Road. This stretch has more than 32 pubs and bars.
The video cameras have a two-inch front facing coloured screen and people can clearly see that they are being recorded. The device can record videos for several hours with date and time facility.
"The traffic personnel have already begin using alcohol breath analyzer with inbuilt camera to record traffic violators misconduct as it came to our notice that some anti-social elements are caught by the traffic police under the influence of alcohol and later they allege that the cops have misbehaved with them,"Commissioner of police KK Rao said.
Furthermore, MG Road is notorious as a hub for anti-social elements and criminals after sunset. Illegal activities, misbehaviour with policemen and drunken behaviour are common at the busy commercial hub after 11 pm.
These cameras are expected to enhance road safety for both the traffic police and the residents of Gurugram. "The device will further improve transparency and help traffic policemen in reviewing the recording on the spot and show traffic violation to people as a part of educating people and raising awareness. Also, the recording of the spot will be crucial evidence against the offenders. The concern policemen could show the recording before the court," Rao said.
A traffic policeman said that video cameras attached to the alcohol meters will help traffic personnel to capture images, audio-video recording of the incidents. "Several times the offenders used to mistreat with police personnel under the influence when we caught them in case of drunk and drive. Even they file false compliant to our senior officials. Now we can defend our role in front of the senior officials," a traffic official on the condition of anonymity, said.
In the previous year, the district police had employed 100 body-worn video cameras. These are small and high definition video cameras attached to the policeman's uniform to capture images and record audio of traffic violations, the official added.