Fadnavis launches COP-24 patrolling to cut police response time in Pune

Fadnavis was in Pune to attend Tarang, a cultural programme organised for police personnel and their families

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday launched COP-24, a new patrolling initiative aimed at strengthening law enforcement and reducing police response time in the city. He flagged off 39 four-wheelers and multiple motorcycles as part of the initiative.

The police will assess the situation—if any wrongdoing is found, they will take action; otherwise, they won’t. (HT PHOTO)

Fadnavis was in Pune to attend Tarang, a cultural programme organised for police personnel and their families. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, ministers Chandrakant Patil and Madhuri Misal, among others, were also present at the event.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, Fadnavis said, “The Tarang programme was organised to give police personnel an opportunity to spend time with their families. Along with this, under the district planning and development council (DPDC), Pune police have been provided with 39 new four-wheelers and several motorcycles to enhance patrolling. This will improve the quality of policing, save time, and minimize response time.”

When asked about actor Rahul Solapurkar’s controversial remarks on Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Fadnavis said, “The government has no role in deciding on such matters. The police will assess the situation—if any wrongdoing is found, they will take action; otherwise, they won’t. The police will act as per the law.”

Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar has earlier stated that a review of two video clips featuring Solapurkar found no criminal intent. On Wednesday, Kumar clarified that there was no apparent offence in the videos. On January 24, the Hindustan Times reported that the COP-24 system would be launched by mid-February to enhance policing, reduce response time to under five minutes, and improve safety through data-driven patrolling.

“The system is designed to strengthen policing and cut down response time for emergency calls to the 112 helpline,” said Kumar. Currently, Pune police’s response time to emergency calls stands at seven minutes. “With this new system, we aim to bring it below five minutes,” he added.

The COP-24 system will be centrally managed by the crime branch, ensuring more coordinated and efficient deployment of police personnel across the city. It will leverage technology, data analysis, and real-time monitoring to enhance public safety, particularly in high-crime areas.

Kumar further stated, “Existing beat marshals at police stations will be replaced by a centrally monitored motorcycle and van-based patrolling system. These patrol vehicles will be stationed at key locations at specific times to maximize visibility.”

The new system includes 39 CR mobile vans and 125 motorcycles. Of these, nearly 60 motorcycles will respond to Dial 112 emergency calls, while the remaining will be used for other policing purposes.