Guwahati, April 22: Webcams with 3G Internet connection are being installed at police stations in the city to bring transparency and improve professionalism.

The cameras have already been installed at Dispur, Basistha, Paltan Bazar, Chandmari and Jalukbari police stations and in the offices of senior superintendent of police (city), superintendent of police (traffic) and the crime branch. The remaining 16 police stations are expected to have theirs by May.

A first in Assam, the device will soon bring police personnel under round-the-clock surveillance of their bosses.

Senior superintendent of police (city) Anand Prakash Tiwari told The Telegraph, “Each police station will have six web-cameras and officers above the rank of officer-in-charge of police stations, including deputy SPs, additional SPs and SPs, will be able to see live visuals of how their subordinates are functioning. The city’s police officers have been asked to get Android-enabled mobile handsets and 3G connectivity so that they can access the visuals captured by the cameras on their mobile phones or iPads.”

Sources said cameras have been installed at entrances of police stations, inspectors’ chambers and rooms where subordinates work. Senior officers can access the visuals on their mobile phones or iPads connected with 3G Internet.

The webcam is a video camera that feeds images in real time to a computer or a computer network. It can be connected to a high-tech mobile phone or an iPad through Internet. It is largely used for security surveillance and video broadcasting.

Tiwari said the webcams installed in the police stations are equipped with night-vision facility and can record visuals clearly. “A system has been developed to store the visuals for 30 days for future reference. We will require around Rs 35,000 for installation of the cameras in one police station.”

He said the project had been initiated to improve functioning at police stations and ensure transparency in the day-to-day activities of police personnel. “We are installing webcams at police stations in the state for the first time,” he added.

Guwahati has a population of about 12 lakh and the police have a tough time managing law and order, crime and VIP duties and have faced criticism for their style of functioning. According to a recent report of the National Crime Records Bureau, at least 57,000 criminal cases are pending in police stations across Assam, of which over 17,000 are in Guwahati. Dispur police station has 5,690 pending cases, the highest in the state.

People visiting police stations here complain of lack of professionalism among the personnel, particularly among lower rank officers and constables. “There have been instances when policemen have misbehaved with people visiting police stations for lodging complaint in case of loss of a mobile phone. Installation of cameras will definitely help as senior police officers will be able to keep a watch on the goings-on inside police stations,” said lawyer Ajoy Hazarika.

Tiwari said the cameras would be installed in two phases. “In the second phase we are planning to install webcams in our patrol vans and seven outposts in the city. We want to make our police stations more people-friendly and we require support from all quarters.”

There are 22 police patrol vans fitted with GPS trackers in the city, which offer services to people in distress under its Dial 100 police helpline project.