Hyderabad Traffic Police to Start Using Wearable Cameras

Moving in sync with technological advancement, Hyderabad Traffic Police (HTP) would soon procure 100 'Body Worn Cameras' to be used during enforcement work under its 'Smart Policing' initiative.

"As of now, traffic cops are using four wearable video cameras on an experimental basis. Orders have been placed for 100 more sophisticated GPRS-enabled body wear cameras. Sub-inspectors (in traffic police) will be using them by March end," Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Jitender, told reporters in Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Briefing on the system, he said the high resolution audio-visuals will be recorded in the camera and stored in a memory card. Feeds can be seen live from the police control room through 4G technology.

"This would facilitate socially desirable behaviour. Use of wearable video cameras can bring measurable benefits to relation between police and the civilians," he said.

Each body camera costs Rs. 1,50,000 and is effective during night as well.

Meanwhile, payment for a record number of 10,000 pending challans for traffic violations was made on Monday as part of the 'Cashless Enforcement in Traffic Management' and fine to the tune of Rs. 19,00,000 was collected, the senior officer said.

Under the 'cashless enforcement' initiative, police have discontinued the practise of collecting cash for traffic 'challans' (a receipt for payment) on the spot. Instead, violators are asked to pay penalties online and through other modern modes.

Telangana government has sanctioned Rs. 21 crores for modernisation of Hyderabad Traffic Police, he said, adding, this amount will be utilised for setting up 'Automatic Integrated Traffic Management System'.

"The proposed system will focus on stop-line violation, red signal jumping, wrong side movement and detect over-speeding and issue e-challan to the violators," he said.

Modern signage boards and interceptor vehicles with 360 degree cameras to detect violations are among the new initiatives planned, he added.

As part of citizen friendly initiatives, only officers above SI rank are authorised to stop vehicles for checking documents during enforcement work, while lower rank officer are only allowed to record traffic violation by using electronic evidence, he said.