Two years after the city police started using WhatsApp, an instant messenger, as an additional tool for the public to reach out to the police, Madurai district police on Wednesday too embraced the digital interface to get connected with the people.
The new Superintendent of Police of Madurai rural district unit, N. Manivannan has introduced the round-the-clock facility through which people can air their grievances and tip off about illegal activity, if any, in Madurai rural district police limits.
“People can send text messages or even voice messages, photographs and videos. Two police personnel have been nominated only to look into such grievances and take them up with the police station concerned,” Mr. Manivannan said.
He said that the WhatsApp facility was highly useful both for the police and the public when he was SP in Ramanathapuram district.
All the messages received would be maintained in a register and the action taken by the police station would be meticulously followed up. “I will be personally following the WhatsApp information. More importantly, the details of the people who raise complaints or give any tip off would be kept confidential and not revealed even to the officials of the stations concerned,” the SP said.
For the police, the messenger will help them get to know about certain illegal or criminal activity then and there. “For the members of the public, giving information and airing their grievances through WhatsApp would be as good as meeting me in person at the District Police Office,” Mr. Manivannan said.
Stating that in most of the instances where people queue up at the DPO to meet the SP was for escalating issues upon failure by local police stations on petitions or complaints lodged.
“People can avoid travelling long distances and save time and money by sending a photograph of the petition to the SP office through WhatsApp. We will definitely follow it up,” the SP said.
