Mumbai traffic cops to wear body cameras, use recordings as proof in case of altercations

Mumbai traffic police is set to equip its personnel with Wi-Fi enabled body-mounted cameras which will be used to gather evidence and record conversations with the public while issuing challans.

Although such cameras are common in developed countries like US and UK, this will be the first time traffic officials in the city will get to use them. The cameras will have to be carried along with other necessary equipment like walkie talkie, challan machine etc.

The cameras will aid in curbing corruption and maintaining transparency by recording entire conversations between the public and traffic officials.

Moreover, since the equipment is Wi-Fi enabled, the recorded clips will be live streamed to to the main control room and the ‘unedited’ recordings will be used as evidence in case of altercations.

According to reports, the cameras have the ability to record up to ten hours of video and 100 such cameras will be procured and distributed among traffic personnel during the pilot project.

The body-mounted cameras will most likely be issued to traffic officials deployed in and around areas like Dadar, Prabhadevi, Lower Parel and Worli initially.

According to Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Amitesh Kumar, the system will bring about a positive change in behavior and reduce the number of altercations.

“The idea is to change the behaviour of our staff as we receive several complaints every day and to introduce evidence-based policing,” he told Mumbai Mirror.

While one goal of the project is to keep a check on the behaviour of on-duty cops, the department is hoping that it will also help in curbing the number of attacks on police personnel.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had spoken about the possibility of introducing body-cameras last year after on-duty traffic cop Vilas Shinde was brutally attacked by two youths, leading to his demise.