Police on e-way for night patrol

KOCHI: The archaic system of  policemen on night patrolling beat marking their attendance in the Point Books placed at various areas of the patrolling areas under their jurisdiction is all set to be replaced by the electronic beat monitoring facility.The E-Beat system will help in eliminating the possibility of manipulation in the Point Book system (‘Patta Books’ in  police parlance). It will also facilitate close scrutiny of the vigilance of the policemen on night patrolling. There will be greater accountability on the part of the policemen also.“The electronic beat system helps the Station House Officers (SHO) to monitor the activites of the policemen during night patrolling. The SHO can take note of the movement of the policemen and access the timespan  taken by the policemen for patrolling each sector. Earlier, the policemen used to mark their entries in the Point Books placed at several locations. But these books can be easily manipulated and the policemen can escape the night duty,” sources in the police headquarters said.The E-Beat system comprises a tag containing an identification number. The constable carries a reader, which on coming into contact with a tag, records its ID number. Once the policeman returns to the station, information from the reader is downloaded into a computer  and later monitored by the Station House Officer.“This system is very effective in monitoring the activites of the civil police officers during night patrolling duties. We have placed an order for 1,000 electronic beat systems. It would be installed by September or October this year," officials said.Ernakulam Range IG K Padmakumar said that the E-Beat system is very effective and it will be implemented soon. “The E-Beat system has been implemented in other states. The Patta Books are hardly ever checked and the policemen take advantage of this  and they sign in the book even if they do not go to these places. Electronic beat system strictly monitors the activities during  night patrolling. The night patrolling will be more effective with the coming of the electronic beat system,” K Padmakumar said.