With internet and social media becoming an important part of our lives especially for the younger generation, the city cops are trying their level best to keep pace with it. The Navi Mumbai police have launched an Android and IOS application called ‘Citizen Cop’ to help people register complaints instantly about any crime that takes place in their knowledge. More than 5 lakh users have downloaded the app so far. Around 50plus cases of eve teasing and molestation have been received so far through this application.
With this application citizens have become more forthcoming and are ready to stand up against crime. The application has made it easier for people to reach police stations to register their case. Approaching a police station and registering a case until recently was intimidating to public but with this application the police stations are on their finger tips. The features include report a crime, call police, my safe zone etc. One of the unique features of this application is that it allows the users to report about those smoking in public spaces or in a non smoking zone. Users can just download the app by filling in some details that will help the police to identify them. On clicking smoking /tobacco option in ‘report an incident’ column they can easily lodge a complaint accompanied with pictures of smokers along with location details. Though the application seems simple to operate it becomes a difficult task for the city cops to trace and book the offenders since he/she is likely to leave the place where he had been smoking.
Citizen Feedback
“The Citizen Cop application is very useful especially for girls. I have used this App twice for informing the cops about eveteasing incidents in our area. Cops were quick to report the incident,” said Akanksha Pandey, a Belapur resident.
“While it is good to have all emergency features at your fingertips, it is difficult to trace and impose a fine on smokers at public places. By the time a beat marshal arrives at the location, the offender would have moved on,” another citizen said.
Speaking to a daily newspaper additional commissioner of police (Wireless dept) P. P. Kannalu said, “The application has an option that allows a user to report any incident around him, including smoking. For this, a user has to click a picture of the smoker and send it along with location details. Upon receiving the information, a beat marshal will call the complainant, reach the spot and impose a fine on the offender under the sections of the Bombay Police Act. At times, it may be difficult to book an offender, as he may have moved on. However, we will at least know the areas where such incidents occur,” he added.
“Until now sixteen hundred users have downloaded the applicationin Navi Mumbai where we have received almost 50 complaints through it. We have successfully solved all the cases we have received so far. We have received complaints related to traffic jam, eve-teasing, molestation etc. A team of policemen are always ready to react to such complaints within a short span of time,” said Sachin Eknath Kad, police constable who is one of the authorized persons to look after the app.
Cops getting tech savvy
“It is an honor to see that citizens are downloading such applications and helping the state cops to uproot crime,” said a senior police officer. Thane (rural and city) police has also come up with an application for the convenience of its citizens. While at Navi Mumbai Citizen Cop app completes its 5,00,000 downloads, FIR Application of Thane Rural police has crossed the mark of 7,00,000 downloads.
Applications launched between 2014-16
Navi Mumbai Police – Citizen Cop App
Thane City police – Hope App(Senior citizens)
Thane Rural police- FIR (First Immediate Response)
Mumbai GRP police– Pratishaad, Police Mitra, Railway Helpline.
Palghar police- Palghar police app.
– by Mohit Naik
