Daily Times

LAHORE: The city police claimed to have arrested more than 800 criminals from across the provincial capital during the new verification system for tenant screening during the last two months.

Police also claimed to have arrested thousands of criminals from hotels, houses and guesthouses of the city using the newly installed “Hotel Eye Software” during the last few months.

This new system was introduced to tighten the noose around the most wanted criminals. The rare information technology-oriented initiative in policing was launched to keep an eye on the activities of criminals, suspects and terrorists.

The software has been made a permanent feature of the security process as the police have linked nearly 600 hotels with the crime database at its control room at the DIG (Operations) office. The Punjab Information and Technology Board (PTIB) helped the Lahore police develop the software.

On the other hand, citizens still call for a hassle-free system for registration of tenants, while the police are strictly punishing the violators. The government had made it compulsory for the house owners to submit necessary documents related to tenants in nearby police stations. However, the police started filing cases against the violators without prior warning. Despite a lapse of more than a year and a half, there was no proper registration system at many police stations.

It is pertinent to mention that several police stations across the city are still working on the manual system. Some of them still lack computers and stationary. The station clerks have no facilities to digitally compile or keep the tenants’ record. Amid rapid urbanisation, the procedure of registration of millions of tenants and tens of thousands of guests is really an uphill task for the law enforcement agency.

A senior police officer said that managements of hotels and guesthouses had been directed to keep a record of every person entering there. This record is being kept in a special software called Hotel Eye.

Police have also introduced a mobile application for security officials, but many of them are having problem in this regard. Several police officials told Daily Times that they were still not acquaint with new technologies being introduced by the department, mainly because they did not have smart phones. They said that government and departments concerned should first train law enforces and create awareness among the general public about these newly introduce technologies.

Recently, the police launched an Android app named “Local Eye-Tahafuz Miljul Kar” to promote community policing. This app will allow local bodies’ representatives to contact senior law enforcement officials for multiple purposes.

CCPO Amin Wains said that the primary objective of the app was to implement the National Action Plan through the help of local representatives and instil a sense of empowerment among people. “It will also ensure free interaction through technology.”

The Local Bodies Act, 2017, has provided the ideal basis through which the police could interact with elected public representatives at the ward and grass-roots levels, said SSP Admin Rana Ayyaz Salim.

However, he said this app was not available for all. The city police will provide this app to more than 3,500 elected representatives.

With this option, an elected representative can seek time to meet an ASI, SI, SHO, ASP, SP, SSP or any officer with just a single click. This feature is also integrated with the Crime Management System. The SSP admin will be monitoring action taken over these complaints.

Musalihat Anjuman is an alternate dispute resolution system. The police will move resolution of non-cognisable or compoundable offences to Musalihat Anjuman on agreement of both parties.

With this feature, an elected representative can inform the police about any crime. The police will automatically locate the spot through the GPS.