Cyber Cops
Bangalore is going hi-tech all the way. Cops with Blackberry devices will soon be a common sight here. Not even the LAPD or NYPD can match up. This is what today’s Times of India reported.
The traffic police have just acquired 280 Blackberry phones. That’s said to be higher than what the Los Angeles police have (200 units), and significantly higher than the Seattle and New York police (100 each).
Read the entire story here.
Using this device, the cops will have all the information they need about the offender; name, address, previous violations etc, right at their fingertips.
This news couldn’t have come at a better time. Bangalore currently struggles with its daily dose of traffic woes and with this new technology, you will only see a better organized and disciplined traffic in this city; something we all long to see.
What’s more… they also plan to introduce another new device, with which you can pay your fines on the spot by using your debit or credit cards. How easier can it get?
Go Bangalore!
Kudos to the Karnataka cops in adopting / leveraging technology. The best part of the news report is this, IMHO : “….the traffic police plan to introduce some kind of swipe-in payment as well so that violators can pay through their debit/credit cards.” Awesome, really!
They probably just need calculators to tot up the bribes theyve collected all day, not blackberries.
@Ravi: I guess it’ll be easier for you now if you get caught for wearing your helmet on the rear view mirror instead of on your head ;)
@Ushasi: Blackberry devices have calculators too, if I’m not mistaken ;)
thats good to know but I am not thrilled becoz I seriously doubt how much it is gonna work !!
I think for the money they are spending on BlackBerry, more camera’s could be installed, manpower could be increased. That gadget is only going to help identify repeat offenders, while most likely, there are more first time offenders. What difference the gadget would make ?
And Nisho, the latest & greatest super computer also has a calculator. Should we give that ? You missed the point thoroughly.
As part of BTRAC, they are acquiring lot more gadgets, some high tech some low. Head straight to those KRDCL tenders, or this plug for more details.
@Raghu: Thanks for your comment. Don’t you think this gadget will also help the cops to book first time offenders more easily now? That way, you will have fewer repeat offenders and ergo fewer first time offenders too. (Nobody would want their licenses revoked, do they?)
And no, I did not miss the point. My comment was meant to be sarcastic. If the cops still wanna tot up the bribes they’ve collected, they can still use the same gadget.. (notice the wink after my comment.
Hmm..! Now how will anyone teach them about the concept of email and push email? :)
I don’t think its going to make any difference booking any offender, in short term.
Repeat Offender : Well, which database will it search right now ? Do you think challans are digitized right now ? I guess, no way.
First time offenders : I would fear a cop with Lathi more than a cop with gadget. What data would he pull up thats not on my DL / RC ?
This gadget would be useful when used for long time and a lot many of them. Btw, there are cheaper ways to do the same instead of AirTel BlackBerry.
Whats the % of cops who don’t accept bribe. I think I don’t think its going to make any difference booking any offender, in short term.
Repeat Offender : Well, which database will it search right now ? Do you think challans are digitized right now ? I guess, no way.
First time offenders : I would fear a cop with Lathi more than a cop with gadget. What data would he pull up thats not on my DL / RC ?
This gadget would be useful when used for long time and a lot many of them. Btw, there are cheaper ways to do the same instead of AirTel BlackBerry.
Whats the % of cops who don’t accept bribe. I think
good point raghu.
perhaps, digitized challans will lead to digitized records. and perhaps cross verification.
another aspect of this is what about litigation?
traffic courts.
when the penality for mistakes is raised, is the bar for corruption lowered?
yesterday a cop got beaten up for asking a van driver to drive carefully.
tough problems.