In almost a month, Delhi Police hear over 800 complaints through V-C

new delhi: In nearly one month since the Delhi Police Commissioner issued orders taking a significant step into the changed way of living induced by the COVID-19 pandemic by introducing video conferencing for complainants, the city police have heard over 800 complaints from residents without having to physically interact with them. Officials here said that video conferencing has to a large extent, streamlined their jobs.

According to the data, accessed by Millennium Post, which recorded complaints heard till June 26, the Outer District came out on top — having heard over 400 complaints through video conferencing. The direction from the top cop to ensure such facilities had come only sometime in May.

The Delhi Police had asked its officers to prepare a separate room in each district where complainants can interact with the concerned Deputy Commissioner of Police through video conferencing instead of being in the same physical space — in a process coined as V-Complaints by the Commissioner.

Data available with the police showed that the North District had heard more than 200 V-Complaints while the South East and Dwarka districts had heard around 90 and 45 complaints respectively through video conferencing.

People aged 60 years or above with any comorbidity are at a considerably higher risk in the present scenario. A police official said that there are many senior citizens with whom they are interacting through video conferencing. "Video conferencing is very helpful during COVID 19 scenario. For the complainant, there is no need to come to DCP office or Police stations they can interact through VC. Even for some verification process, personnel are directly contacting the concerned person through VC," an official said.

According to police, for the upcoming Independence Day, they also held several meetings with MWAs, RWAs through VC and briefed them about security measures. Another official said, "It is the same as face to face interaction and complaints, who come with different types of complaints, interact with senior officers and tell them their grievances sitting in a room."

During a meeting between Special CPs and Joint CPs of the force, the Delhi Police Commissioner had said, "In the light of COVID-19 and restrictions on physical interaction with the complainants, there should be a separate room in each district where a complainant may put forward his grievances before the district DCP through video conferencing on NIC link."

He had added that the same system should also be initiated at the police station-level so that Station House Officers (SHOs) and inquiry officers can also attend to the complainant through video conference. Currently, there are 209 police stations and 15 DCP offices across the Capital.

Recently, Commissioner SN Shrivastava had also directed district DCPs to organise meetings with banks having ATMs and owners of petrol pumps and jewellery shops who carry large cash and brief them on employing security guards to avoid criminal incidents. Following this, meetings with petrol pump owners were held by senior officers through video conferencing.