Technology and policing: An assessment of police commissionerate of two cities of Eastern India

Abstract

Technology is a quintessential part of everyday life, police is not an exception in this regard. From “prevention and detection of crime” to “maintenance of law and order” police personnel are dependent on technology. Welcoming the era of pro-active policing, police has become adroit in using the progressive world of technology. Initially, police used batons, whistles, rattles, telegraph and now police has technology like wireless systems, Global Positioning System, sophisticated side handled batons, forensic checking, bullet proof jackets, etc. in the era of e-governance where police stations have websites and provisions like e-First Information Report. This paper explores the challenges faced in the use of technology during policing; and also to assess its impact on the police personnel of the two cities of eastern India. This is an empirical study conducted on the police personnel of police commissionerate of two cities of eastern India. The sample consists of fifty police personnel serving under the police commsionerate. The primary data was collected using face to face interview and perusing through Bureau of Police Research and Development reports. Secondary data has been collected from books, journals, articles, internet sources and newspapers.