Smart policing: Six e-police stations to be set up in the City

LAHORE:

The city police is on the verge of setting up six e-stations across Lahore The Express Tribune has learnt.

The e-stations are expected to begin functioning in a week. Duty officers at the e-stations would be provided with operating systems equipped with complaint management solutions. The solutions have been installed with the assistance of the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB).

Each station will have three counters. Visitors would be able to register complaints after collecting computer generated tokens. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Operations DIG Haider Ashraf said he had previously established e-stations in Faisalabad. He said working closely with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) had inspired him to take the initiative.  Ashraf said the initiative would ensure that citizens’ grievances were quickly addressed. He said the establishment of the e-stations would also enable people to have better access to police officials. Ashraf said he would personally monitor the operations of the e-stations. The DIG said the processing of cases registered at the e-stations would be quick. He said cases involving crime against property would be processed in 24-hours, monetary and land grabbing cases in seven-days and crime against person cases in three days.  Ashraf said more time might be allowed in cases of murder.  He said officials would inform the complainants within the timeframes with regard to the conversion of complaints into FIRs and action taken.

Ashraf said the SDPOs would chair meetings at the e-stations daily and SPs would monitor developments at e-stations in their divisions. He said the SPs would also ensure that complainants were updated daily about progress on their complaints.  Ashraf said the establishment of the e-stations would improve the collection and documentation of information. He said an SMS service would be initiated soon to enable people to register complaints via text messages. Ashraf said police were about to finalise arrangements with a cellular company in this regard.

He said police had also created a Facebook page that was monitored by officials at the DIG’s office. Ashraf said people could also register complaints there to enable the police to take immediate action on them. He said he personally reviewed developments on the page.The DIG said the e-station project in Lahore would be replicated province-wide if it was successful. He said he had directed officials at the e-stations to deal with the people politely. Ashraf said the force had been striving to win the public’s confidence. He said the people had the right to complain against police if their concerns were not adequately addressed.

City SP Asad Sarfaraz said the initiative would improve complaint management. He said he intended to establish an e-station in Shahdara. 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2014.