PDAs on patrol: Delhi Police to get 200 handheld PDA biometric devices for its PCR vans
In its bid to rein in the amateur as well as notorious criminals, Delhi Police still lags behind the digitised network followed by the forces in the US and Europe since 2009. law enforcement agencies in these countries had replaced their communication systems with PDA devices attaching it with the main server.
However, to be at par with the rest of the world, the State Police is going to introduce handheld Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices and the same will be given to the field staff to nab criminals on the spot by verifying their finger prints. This device is not only expected to save time but will also add to the efficacy of the force. Each of these devices would be connected to the main servers located at the Police Headquarters and the Crime Branch office in Kamla Market — which contains database and identification details of about two lakh.
According to an official, the Delhi Police will be procuring 200 handheld PDA biometric devices for its Police Control Room (PCR) vans. The force would also arm its beat constables and 600 such devices will be given to them. While three major giants in the field of communication — such as Motorola, HCl and Samsung — have placed their bids for the supply of 200 PDA devices, the proposal for the procurement of 600 more devises is being finalised. Each device, expected to cost about Rs 1.4 lakh, will be having three-year warranty as well.
When asked about the introduction of PDA devices, a senior police officer said that about half of the frontline officers would be given access to a mobile PDA. “These devices are bound to increase the efficiency of the entire force. They will give officers on-the-spot access to vital information and also allow them to file reports directly from the spot.”
Once the devices are put to use, all the calls made to the PCR would be converted into digital text along with the location of the caller. An officer elaborates, “Earlier the response time of the PCR was about 10 minutes. With the introduction of this device, the response time will automatically come down to four minutes.”
Soon after the location of the caller is located, the PCR van or the beat constable can immediately reach the spot and start looking for the suspects. A source said, “The police officers will be taking the fingerprints of the suspects on the spot. If the fingerprints match with the database of any criminal, he or she can be held there and then itself.”
The source said it would be mandatory for the PCR van officials and the beat officers to file the status of the call through the PDA devices. The police officials would be also asked to file their day-to-day activities through them. The PDA channels are reportedly more secure when compared to the present method of recording case details on paper, telephones and text messages.