Tech-Savvy Police Have Helped Reduce Crime Rate in City by Almost 40%: CP

Hyderabad: A lot has changed for Hyderabad ever since C.V. Anand took charge as its kotwal. The city has become peaceful, with criminals and rowdyism brought under control. Night policing has been strengthened with a robust night round system in place.

“In metropolitan policing, it’s essential to dominate the night, as that’s when criminals and rowdies try to come out,” Anand said, during an interview with Deccan Chronicle.

“Our excellent night round system, with a supervisory officer of DCP rank and night zonal officers (NZOs), ensures our Blue colds motorcycles and patrol cars are at full strength all through the night. If a night has gone peacefully in a big metropolitan city like Hyderabad, it implies that the police have worked hard towards that.”

The police department is keeping a check on the response time so as to ensure that officers reach the spot within five to seven minutes.

“Our efforts have led to a 30-40 per cent decrease in crime statistics over the last six months. All officers are sensitised and they are working towards maintaining law and order,” said Anand.

The police department has implemented various safety measures, especially for women.

“The Women Safety Wing is doing an outstanding job, with Bharosa centres providing a unique concept where the entire process of a case is handled at one place. This includes counselling, providing legal aid, and even a judicial magistrate,” the police chief said.

As a result, conviction rates in Pocso cases, of crimes against minors, have improved. There were 28 life convictions last year.

Telangana police are known for using state-of-the-art technologies.

Highlighting how technology has aided in crime detection and prevention, Anand explained, “The way CCTVs have been put up; the functioning of the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) with a war room and about a lakh of cameras and CCTVs at almost every nook and corner of the city, and across the state, speaks volumes of our technology adoption. Crime detection and traffic management is all technology-based in Telangana.”

Technology has been a game-changer for the police department. The commissioner cited a remarkable case where a rape accused was caught using just half of a number plate as evidence.

“A girl was raped by taxi drivers. We found a clipping with half of the car’s number plate, processed it, and traced 60-70 cars of the same model and colour. We finally caught the offenders,” he said.

This showcased the police department’s efficient use of technology to bring criminals to book. However, while technology has aided policing, criminals have become smarter, trying to evade detection by not carrying cell phones and avoiding CCTVs.

“It’s a constant cat-and-mouse game, where we strive to keep pace with offenders and anticipate their moves to take preventive measures,” said Anand.

Cybercrime has evolved significantly, with innovative methods like digital arrest. Initially, cybercriminals used phishing and fake IDs, but now they employ sophisticated tactics.

“We have identified 38 types of cybercrimes, often facilitated by the banking system. We have met RBI officials to address this issue, particularly regarding opening of fake and mule accounts,” the top cop explained.

Emphasising Hyderabad’s reputation as a safe city, he says, “The women’s safety wing and bharosa centres are focused on women’s safety, which is a high priority. The city’s safety record is reflected in the fact that people, including girls, can move around freely, even late night, without feeling insecure. Crimes keep happening here and there, but the speed at which they are detected acts as a strong deterrent to criminals.”