Emergency Helpline 15 receives 225,000 hoax calls in March alone

As many as 1,225 cases were referred to Rescue 1122

LAHORE: The 15 Emergency Helpline received 300,000 calls during March 2018. Out of which, 225,000 calls were determined hoaxes and approximately 30,000 calls, with genuine concerns, the Dispatch Control Centre (DCC) generated cases for further action.

As many as 1,225 such cases were pertinent to Rescue 1122 and around 2,000 such cases sought for traffic management or CTP help. The Operations Monitoring Centre (OMC) secured more than 14,000 observations that warranted 6,100 cases including interception of more than 300 suspicious persons by Police Response Unit (PRU) and Dolphin Squad after a thorough probing of 2,544 suspicious vehicles. The OMC monitors its surveillance operations through CCTV cameras and the geo-strategic grid of cameras within the metropolis. The OMC managed to apprehend 412 vehicles without number-plates through relevant police stations. More than 32 rallies and protests were monitored and security measures were employed.

For Intelligent Traffic Management Services, more than 285 plus traffic blockages were reported to CTP whereas over 200 accidents were reported to Rescue 1122 for immediate rescue measures. As many 395 cases were dealt with pertaining to illegal or unauthorised parking issues. The ANPR-enabled (automatic number-plate recognition) traffic cams observed 3,382,000 violations of traffic rules and, to redress the same, police from all divisions of Lahore were engaged accordingly.

Furthermore, PPIC3 provided Electronic Evidence Data pertaining to more than 130 cases to the Investigation Wing.

The PSCA (Punjab Safe Cities Authorities) Public Safety app also set its mark high this month thereby contributing to the recovery of five persons, three vehicles and 55 motorcycles through its lost and found section.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2018.