The Coimbatore City Police will use body-worn cameras while escorting accused to courts and back to prisons. As part of the new initiative, 24 body-worn cameras have been given to personnel attached to the Armed Reserve (AR), Coimbatore city, who are given the task of escorting remand prisoners.
Coimbatore City Police Commissioner V. Balakrishnan launched the initiative that aims at ensuring security of remand prisoners as well as that of the personnel. In addition, static surveillance cameras have been installed in vans that are used for escorting remand prisoners to courts and back to prisons.
According to the police, the presence of cameras will discourage remand prisoners from activities such as misbehaving with police personnel and attempting to escape. The cameras will also ensure that the police personnel discharge their duties as per the law.
There had been allegations that remand prisoners were allowed to meet their family members and relatives, illegally, when they were being escorted to courts and back to prisons. Presence of static cameras in the vehicles and body-worn cameras with the personnel on escort duty would help the police curb such incidents, said an official.
In 2021, Salem City Police Commissioner suspended seven police personnel, including a sub-inspector, for permitting the accused in the Pollachi sexual assault case to meet their relatives on the outskirts of Coimbatore, when they were being escorted to Salem Central Prison.
According to A. Sekar, Assistant Commissioner of Police (AR), Coimbatore city, around 100 armed reserve personnel have been trained to use the body-worn cameras.
