JOIN USA ‘third-eye’ is keeping a tab on the hustings, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, in the city. In a first of its kind experiment during the polls, the city police have incorporated the technology with a high-resolution surveillance camera, mounted on a police control room (PCR) vehicle.
On Thursday, PCR-05, a patrolling vehicle mounted with the 360-degree rotating camera, was keeping a close watch on the padayatra of BJP candidate Prathapa Simha under K R constituency. Simha, accompanied by former minister S A Ramdas, launched the exercise, seeking votes from Shivapura gate on Mysore-Manandavadi road.
Police Commissioner M A Saleem told Deccan Herald, the camera is procured specially for the law and order wing. However, during elections, it is being used to record the political activities, as a precautionary measure.
The camera works on a high end 3G SIM card and is controlled both by the men inside the vehicle and also the control room at the traffic automation centre set up on the premises of the police commissioner’s office in Nazarbad.The camera can be zoomed up to a radius of 500 metres, but can be better captured in the radius of 100 to 200 metres.
The footage can also be viewed on a small screen installed inside the vehicle. The camera is detachable and can be mounted on any vehicle. Its frequency is such that, it can be viewed from Bangalore too, provided high speed internet services are available.
In case of an exigency, the police personnel, viewing the footage of the camera, will alert the higher ups for necessary action. Apart from keeping the a record of the ongoings, it will also help ensure discipline among the Police department personnel too.
A polling official, on condition of anonymity, said, the deployment of the camera has come in handy in recording any violations. On the other hand, it makes them extra vigilant, not to give room for any errors on their part. Commissioner Saleem said, post elections, it will be used regularly during rallies and protests in the city.