Delhi Police’s PCR vans to be fitted with cameras; control room to get live feed

New Delhi: Last December, when three teenagers from central Delhi’s Turkman Gate were killed in a road accident near the Maulana Azad Medical College, nearly 800

New Delhi: Last December, when three teenagers from central Delhi’s Turkman Gate were killed in a road accident near the Maulana Azad Medical College, nearly 800 people staged a protest and blocked traffic for seven hours, alleging that the trio’s two-wheeler was rammed “deliberately” from behind by a police patrol vehicle giving them chase.

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Even though senior police officers told the crowd that their records do not show any police van in that area at the time of the accident, the agitators did not buy their version and demanded video proof for the claims, which the police did not have. The protesters dispersed only when a “thorough investigation” was promised.

In the December 16, 2012 gang-rape case as well, there had been allegations from the public against the Delhi Police that the PCR van reached the spot late. In addition, agitators had alleged that the officials of two police stations had argued over territorial jurisdiction of the spot where the 23-year-old paramedic student and her friend were thrown out of a moving bus, after she was gang-raped and tortured by five men and a juvenile.

To deal with allegations of foul play, inaction and delayed response against personnel deployed in patrolling vehicles, commonly known as PCR vans, which come up time and again, the Delhi Police have decided to install cameras in the vans so that the footage may be used as evidence to counter such charges, senior officials who are in the know of the initiative said.

In all, the city police have an almost 800-strong fleet of PCR vans against their sanctioned strength of 1,000. The prime objective of the PCRs is to patrol the streets and be the first responders to distress calls or at crime scenes. However, as street crimes such as robbery and snatching have become a headache for the force’s top brass, PCR personnel have been given the added responsibility of curbing street crimes by chasing and catching criminals.

“The availability of video footage from their vehicles will make their operations smooth and more effective. The cameras shall be equipped with the facility to send live feed to the centralised police command and communication room, which may be used to ascertain the routes the suspect is taking during the chase. Accordingly, the nearest patrol vans and police staff can be alerted and involved in the operation to nab the suspect,” said special commissioner of police (operations) Muktesh Chandra.

Each police control room (PCR) van will have two high-definition cameras – one of them will be static while the other one will be movable so that officials can change its view and focus as per the demand of the situation. “The cameras will be placed in such a way that they can capture everything happening at its front as well as the rear side,” added Chandra.

Police statistics show that as many as 299 criminals – including 39 snatchers, 27 robbers, 53 bootleggers and 43 thieves – were arrested by personnel deployed in PCR vans between January 1 and June 28 this year. They seized nearly 50,000 liquor bottles, 57 stolen mobile phones, eight illegal guns with 17 cartridges and 10 knives from the arrested persons.

According to deputy commissioner of police (PCR) Sharat Sinha, the cameras in the PCR vans will help the police record the crime scene as well as the gathering of people and areas around the spot, all in digital format. “The video footage can also be used as digital evidence and make the case stronger against the accused. It will help us address allegations of inaction or excesses made against PCR personnel,” said DCP Sinha.

The initiative is still in the planning stage and the tendering process is likely to be started soon, said senior officers.