Noida police developing ‘informer’ app

In a first such move to improve community policing in the country, the city police is developing a mobile app for informers, officials said.

The app will virtually make every resident an informer of the police and it will prove to be a milestone in community policing, said Kiran Sivakumar, senior superintendent of police (SSP), Gautam Budh Nagar.

“A partnership with residents is the most important factor in policing. If the residents come out in support of the police to control crime and maintain law and order, it will not only strengthen the force but also demoralise criminals. The idea is that technology can bridge the physical distance between a citizen and a police officer,” the SSP, who is an M Tech from IIT Madras, said.

He said the app, which is under development, will be available for download on the iOS and android platforms. Once the app has been developed, officials will float advertisements in newspapers to appeal to residents of the city to download the app, the police said.

“The app will have special features which can be used to shoot a video and click a picture of any place, incident or suspect and the same can be directly accessed at the police control room. The police will work on the information provided by residents and also verify the facts,” he said.

However, he said that the app cannot be a replacement to the emergency police helpline that can be reached by dialling 100, as it is completely dependent on the internet connection of the sender.

“There is no replacement for the emergency number 100 and neither are we in a process of launching a new helpline. We are working on strengthening the emergency helpline’s reach to the outskirts and border areas of the city as well,” he said.

The police said they will keep the names of the informers a secret and will also meet the informers discreetly, if required.

“It(the app) will be an easier way to inform the police about any issues, without getting into a legal tangle. Residents can click pictures and post about the developments in their neighbourhood on social media sites like Twitter,” he said.