Efficient policing: Reforms underway to improve 15 helpline

Database of landlines’, cell phone towers’ addresses is being compiled.

LAHORE:

The city police are automating callers’ information and starting the use of smart phones to track their patrolling staff in a bid to improve response time of the 15 helpline service, The Express Tribune has learnt. 

The automation of the callers’ information at the police 15 helpline is underway. The patrolling staff will be equipped with smart phones in the second phase of the project which is a joint venture of the city police and the Chief Minister’s Special Monitoring Unit.

A Public Service Answering Point (PSAP) will eventually be established to centralise police 15 and Rescue 1122 emergency services in the city.

SP (Mobiles) Syed Mukhtar Hussain told The Tribune that

compilation of a database of addresses for all landlines in the city and location of cell phone towers was underway.

He said the use of the database to track down callers’ location would enable the staff at the call centre to cut down on the response time. “This will allow them to forward the complaint as soon as it is received to the patrolling staff,” he said.

Muhafiz police performing patrolling duties on motorbikes will be equipped with global-positioning system (GPS) enabled smart phones in the second phase of the project. GPS trackers will be installed in patrolling police cars as well.

SMU senior member Salman Sufi said the GPS trackers will be used to monitor the movement of the patrolling staff and to ensure that no one was shirking duties.

“Patrolling staff closest to the location of the emergency could then be sent to the site,” he said.

He said the patrolling police would be required to report their arrival at the site of the emergency to the call centre.

Sufi said the call centre would start coordinating with the Rescue 1122 field staff in the final phase of the project to improve their response time as well.

Meanwhile, Rescue 1122 spokesman Jam Sajjad said no such plan had yet been shared with them. However, he said, rescue officials would participate in any project intended to improve public safety.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2015.