Chennai City police forms WhatsApp group to improve public interface

"Considering the potential of social media in sharing information and improving police-public interface, WhatsApp groups have been created in all police stations of Chennai city for sharing information," police said.

The local Inspector (Law and Order) will be the administrator of the group and Inspectors (crime), sub-inspectors, beat officers and patrol vehicle officers will be members, City Police said in a release. 

The public will be represented in the groups by, among others, those from residential welfare and flat residents associations, active citizens, bank managers, principals of schools and colleges, representatives from jewellery and pawn brokers associations and security managers of malls. 

"As this group consists of members from all stake-holders of policing, this acts as a one-point Virtual Police Station (VPS)," it said. 

Assistant Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners will monitor the groups under their respective jurisdictions, it said, adding the interface shall be used only for sharing information, public grievances and issues "strictly" related to police. 

The Additional Commissioners of Police, Law and Order, South and North, will review progress on a weekly basis and brief the Commissioner of Police every Monday, it said. 

The advantages of the system include senior citizens being able to send complaints without leaving their residence and instant passing on of crime awareness information to the public, it said. 

"This is a non-formal channel of communication in which the public (can) feel free to share information. There is an inbuilt, in situ supervision which enables immediate action," it added.