Body worn cameras, drones for cops soon in Tamil Nadu

Chennai, July 20: Body worn cameras for policemen and drones for police and fire service personnel would be procured as part of measures to further improve effective policing and rescue initiatives in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister K Palaniswami said here.

He said 20 law and order units in cities and districts would get 10 body worn cameras each at a cost of Rs one crore.

Also, police commissionerates and ranges would be provided 16 drones at a cost of Rs 38 lakh, Palaniswami, who also holds portfolios of police and fire departments, said while making new announcements for the police and fire departments in the Assembly

Tamil Nadu police had last year introduced body worn cameras for its traffic personnel.

For aerial survey of fire accidents and rescue services, 50 drones will be procured at a cost of Rs one crore.

One aerial ladder platform (54 meters) will be bought for the Fire and Rescue Services Department at a cost of Rs 12 crore, the Chief Minister said.

Protective gear would be provided to 1,500 fire personnel at a cost of Rs 8.54 crore, he added.

Archiving digitised records of police headquarters at a cost of Rs 5.10 crore, automation of police fleet and asset management at a cost of Rs 25 lakh, implementation of e-beat system in all police commissionerates (now followed in Salem) for Rs 1.26 crore and forming a cyber crime wing at Tirupur at a cost of Rs 91.74 lakh were among announcements he made.