PANAJI
After enforcing body-worn cams to boost accountability and tackle corruption allegations, Goa Police recently submitted a fresh proposal to equip patrolling vehicles with dashcams.
However, the proposal is allegedly ensnared in red-tapism as sources revealed to The Goan that the file is being shuffled between departments with little progress.
This is not the first time such an initiative has been proposed. In 2019, a similar proposal for 70 dashcams and GPS trackers for police control rooms, traffic patrols and highway patrolling vehicles was submitted but has since languished in cold storage.
The traffic police’s recently launched TRACK “ a high-tech solution aimed at tackling traffic congestion and enhancing road safety “ mentions dashcam footage monitoring as one of the key elements planned for the future.
“As the vehicle population is increasing day by day and technology advancing, it’s important that our crime and traffic control measures keep pace. While we have introduced some initiatives, there is a constant need for upgrades. After body-worn cams, dashcams have always been on our mind,” said a source within the police department.
In the meantime, with the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi and the weekends, the Goa Police intensified their crackdown on traffic violations. Local police and traffic officers were on night duty from 9 pm on Saturday to 1 am on Sunday, focusing on curbing drunken and reckless driving. “This will particularly target violations like drunken and reckless driving. As promised, our campaigns against traffic violations will be continuous and long-term,” the source added.
Barely two months back, the department introduced 75 body-worn cameras; however, it faced a bizarre challenge as they cannot be used in the rain. The traffic officials resorted to a temporary solution of using umbrellas to shield the devices. These cameras are being operated by around 120 officers of the Goa Traffic Cell, who function on a rotation basis throughout the day and are authorised to issue challans.
The Traffic Department has also indicated the possibility of purchasing waterproof cameras in the coming days, subject to government approval.
