Chandigarh, May 19: For third-eye surveillance on police patrolling parties and other cops, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has asked Punjab Director-General of Police to telephonically contact his counterpart in Kerala or any other senior police officer there for obtaining information on body cameras.
The direction came less than a week after the Bench made it clear that it was in favour of body cameras being provided to all patrolling parties for monitoring the apprehension of criminals, especially in drug matters, to prevent false implication.
The Chandigarh Police have already supplied body cameras to its challaning officers, while counsel for the State of Haryana has sought time to place on record the report of a committee headed by Panchkula Commissioner of Police in this regard.
The developments before the Bench of Justice Amol Rattan Singh came on a bunch of four petitions filed by Mohit Nayyar and other petitioners against the State of Punjab and other respondents.
As the case came up for resumed hearing, an affidavit of Punjab Director-General of Police Suresh Arora was placed before Justice Amol Rattan Singh’s Bench. Among other things, it said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Headquarters, Delhi, has supplied requisite information, including documents on specification of ‘body worn cameras’, along with instructions.
Referring to the information, he said such cameras have only been issued to the Delhi Traffic Police. On the issue of contacting Kerala DGP to provide requisite information at the earliest, the affidavit said his reply was awaited.
“As to why a letter was the only means of communication with the DGP, Kerala, is not being commented upon. The DGP, Punjab, would telephonically contact the DGP, Kerala, or any other senior police officer of Kerala and obtain information with regard to body cameras provided to patrolling parties and other police personnel, in Kerala. The DGP would then file an affidavit as to the information obtained,” Justice Amol Rattan Singh added.
Available information suggests body cameras are wearable audio, video, or photographic recording system. Also knows as body worn video (BWV), body-worn cameras, or wearable cameras, these are often utilised by law-enforcement agencies in several countries to record interactions with the public or to collect video evidence at crime scene.
The Bench, during the course of hearing, was told that 24×7 power backup for CCTV cameras has already provided through generators, solar power and inverters. Another affidavit stated just two bids were received for supply, installation, commissioning and maintenance of CCTV surveillance system at 434 police stations in the State. As such, the last date was being extended.
Sourced from The Tribune
