Patna, June 30: A team of 18 baton-wielding policemen will now be ever ready at the police control room to deal with emergencies.

Peeved with the poor response time of the baton-equipped policemen to emergency wireless messages, the city police have decided to put together the team named Quick Reaction Lathi Party. The team will be ready for action from tomorrow.

It will have 16 constables and two havildars. They will be present at the police control room instead of the police lines.

Patna City superintendent of police Shivdeep Lande told The Telegraph that the delay in the response of baton-equipped policemen even after receiving wireless messages was a constant source of worry for the officers of the department.

“They are lodged at the police lines and are not ready. As a result, they reach the spot very late. Moreover, many of them do not wear the full gear consisting of helmet, body protector and the polycarbonate shield. This also delays their action on the field. In order to avoid this, a team has been asked to remain at the police control room and be ready for action,” Lande said.

Sources said the men at the police lines are often not alert enough. On receiving a wireless message to respond to any disturbance, many of them first run to the toilets to relieve themselves, before they get ready.

He added: “This team will be ready to move at any time. They have been directed to carry a handy-cam with them to record the ruckus they have been deployed to quell. With the help of the video footage, the police can identify the perpetrators.

“A request for this has been sent to the senior superintendent of police. If an entire incident is recorded it will be easier to book the people responsible. Also, the men have been asked to wear their gear properly. There have been cases of policemen getting hurt as a result of not putting on the protective gear according to instructions.”

The police stations have also been directed to lodge named FIRs against those responsible for a ruckus.

“An FIR against unknown persons will not do. The police often lodge an unknown FIR whereas the news channels telecast footage of people who have indulged in violence. The police stations can take the help of these footages or use a handy-cam themselves. Cases of mob violence will not be treated as FIRs against unknown persons anymore,” Lande said.

Policemen have also been instructed to verify the messages they broadcast over the wireless network.

“On June 20, a wireless message stated that four persons had died in a mishap at Anisabad. This caused confusion. Such messages need to be avoided. Those who transmit a wireless message need to verify the message they send,” said Lande.

Only two people had been killed in the accident at Anisabad.