Panaji: Goa Police has added 100 body-worn cameras to its traffic enforcement equipment, taking the total number of such cameras with the 18 traffic cells across the state to 235.
Director General of Police (DGP) Alok Kumar handed over the cameras to the traffic cells on Tuesday.
Traffic police officers are required to wear the cameras while carrying out enforcement duties, including patrolling, nakabandi and traffic regulation.
“Traffic police officers are also required to wear the cameras during patrolling, nakabandi and during traffic regulation,” Superintendent of Police (SP), Traffic, Prabodh Shirwaiker said.
In December last year, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant made it mandatory for police inspectors and sub-inspectors to use body-worn cameras while issuing traffic challans. Police officials said the cameras were intended to ensure transparency and accountability while issuing challans to traffic violators.
Besides the body-worn cameras, 40 torches, 18 canopies and 25 megaphones were handed over to the traffic cells.
“Body-worn cameras, canopies and torches were procured under the road safety fund for which I am thankful to the Director of Transport and the Transport Secretary. The megaphones were procured under the police fund,” Shirwaiker said.
Goa Police had procured body-worn cameras a year ago to address allegations of misbehaviour and corruption against police personnel, as well as instances of misbehaviour by members of the public during traffic enforcement.
Sawant had said Goa would be the first state in the country where police officers would use body cameras while issuing traffic challans.
A senior police officer told The Navhind Times that misbehaviour from either police personnel or members of the public could occur during interactions while enforcing traffic laws. The officer said body-worn cameras would help keep a check on such incidents.
