Eleven police stations on the city’s southern fringes are going online and are being armed with closed-circuit cameras and systems to preserve the thumb impressions of criminals.

The police stations are Regent Park, Behala, Thakurpukur, Bishnupur, Metiabruz, Mahestala, Tiljala, Baruipur, Usthi, Diamond Harbour and Mathurapur.

“The steps form part of the drive to improve policing in South 24-Parganas,” said a senior officer in the district police headquarters.

To start with, the police stations will be linked with each other and the district police headquarters in Alipore through a computer network.

All details of the criminals arrested by any of these police stations will be uploaded on the network.

“If a criminal is arrested more than once, it will be easier for us to check his antecedents,” said an officer.

The thumb impressions of the arrested criminals will be preserved too. “If anyone changes his appearance, we will be able to detect him from his thumb impression,” the officer added.

The online network will ensure that a complainant can find out the status of the proceedings from any of the 11 police stations.

The closed-circuit cameras will help the officer-in-charge keep a vigil on the accused in the lock-up and the overall security of the police station.

There is also a change in the execution of the warrant, with the police superintendent being made accountable for any delay in the process. Each court warrant will be routed to the police station concerned through the superintendent.