Back in action: Technology (1): The scary side: India: (Turning citizens into spies); New Delhi police preparing informers to use smartphones and spy cameras in a bid to receive better inputs and curb crimes as part of its revamped "eyes nd ears scheme.'...". The scheme was started in January 2008 in a bid to involve the public in gathering information for the police. The aim was to sensitise stakeholders such as watchmen, guards, street vegetable and fruit vendors, parking attendants, drivers, residents and traders welfare associations in keeping watch on suspicious people and sharing their information with local police. The beat constables are now visiting their informers and personally training them on how to use smartphones in a fruitful manner This way, people of the street also stay in touch with cops and their identities are kept secret, an official said The department holds regular meetings to sensitise and motivate their sources while rewarding them on occasions, said sources. "

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: This is really spooky Big Brother stuff - enabled by modern, readily available technology. Police encouraging everyday people to act as informants on their neighbours and anyone else in their community by training them in the use of smartphones - and sharing the photos of suspicious people on the web. Yes, this is happening in New Delhi under a cloak of informant anonymity, so far away. But how long will it be before this insidious policing technique travels beyond India's borders to the rest of the world - North America included. Be prepared. Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.

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PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "The beat constables are now visiting their informers and personally training them to how to use smartphones in a fruitful manner. The informers are advised to click pictures of the suspicious people in their areas. The cops have also advised them to share the pictures with them on WhatsApp so that they are stored in the department database," a source said. Along with insisting on the usage of smartphones and WhatsApp, officials said, cops are also trying to convince informers to use spy cams and share the feed. "Looking at the crime trends in the national Capital there is an urgent need to get people involved in keeping their neighbourhoods secure. With time, the informers need to gear up and it's high time to utilise technology for better policing," a senior official said. "Under the scheme, policemen brief people about wanted criminals, and ask them to stay alert about suspicious characters. This scheme is running on a massive scale in all the police districts and we received a lot of information from the people," a police official said."

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STORY: "Delhi police grooming informers for better info input using technology," by reporter Chayyanika Nigar, published by India  Mail Today on February 28, 2018.

SUB-HEADING: "The Delhi Police is training its informers to use smartphones and spy cameras to obtain information more effectively."

HIGHLIGHTS: 

• Delhi police is revamping its 'eyes and ears scheme'.
• The police is teaching informers to gather info using smartphone and spy-cameras.
• The move aims to increase public participation and  combat crime effectively.

GIST: "The Delhi Police is revamping its "eyes and ears scheme" for tip-offs and cops have started preparing informers to use smartphones and spy cameras in a bid to receive better inputs and curb crimes, sources told Mail Today. Officials in the department said the new initiative aims to bolster the information flow. "Thousands of cases have been solved by gathering information from the 'eyes and ears' of Delhi Police," a senior police official said. "Policing boundaries are defined by law, but it should not mean that there is no scope for innovation and experimentation. Police is upbeat about the 'eyes and ears' scheme. The idea is to involve the public in information gathering. The scheme was started in January 2008 in a bid to involve the public in gathering information for the police. The aim was to sensitise stakeholders such as watchmen, guards, street vegetable and fruit vendors, parking attendants, drivers, residents and traders welfare associations in keeping watch on suspicious people and sharing their information with local police. The beat constables are now visiting their informers and personally training them on how to use smartphones in a fruitful manner This way, people of the street also stay in touch with cops and their identities are kept secret, an official said The department holds regular meetings to sensitise and motivate their sources while rewarding them on occasions, said sources. "The beat constables are now visiting their informers and personally training them to how to use smartphones in a fruitful manner. The informers are advised to click pictures of the suspicious people in their areas. The cops have also advised them to share the pictures with them on WhatsApp so that they are stored in the department database," a source said. Along with insisting on the usage of smartphones and WhatsApp, officials said, cops are also trying to convince informers to use spy cams and share the feed. "Looking at the crime trends in the national Capital there is an urgent need to get people involved in keeping their neighbourhoods secure. With time, the informers need to gear up and it's high time to utilise technology for better policing," a senior official said. "Under the scheme, policemen brief people about wanted criminals, and ask them to stay alert about suspicious characters. This scheme is running on a massive scale in all the police districts and we received a lot of information from the people," a police official said. The official said Delhi Police realises the importance of community policing - getting local people involved in keeping their neighbourhoods safe. Some police stations are even open for inspection by local people. "Examples of this police-people 'partnership' are the neighbourhood watch scheme, eyes and ears scheme and interactions with senior citizens. Local community leaders are selected by residents and they interact with the beat staff to manage this programme," the official said. Cops say they have been getting a good response with "lakhs of people" taking part in meetings with police. "We encourage people to help us by giving information about criminals and criminal activities, and to be aware of crimes in their particular areas," said a constable posted as beat staff in south Delhi. The "eyes and ears scheme" paid dividends when a seven-year-old boy was rescued from the clutches of a woman and a man, who had kidnapped him from outside a temple in south Delhi's Lodhi Colony this month. The cops received tip-offs from a woman, who was a part of the scheme.

 

The entire story can be read at: 

 https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/delhi-police-grooming-informers-for-better-info-input-using-technology-1178990-2018-02-28

 

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com.  Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;