Pune Police will introduce the ‘Cop-24’ beat marshal system on February 15 to address rising street crimes such as chain snatching, harassment of women, and attacks by criminal gangs using koytas to vandalize vehicles. The system aims to improve safety and reduce police response times, which have been a concern due to delayed responses to emergencies.
Currently, police patrols are conducted to prevent such incidents, and citizens can report emergencies by dialing 112. However, complaints about slow response times have been frequent. To tackle this issue, Pune City Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar has decided to strengthen the existing beat marshal system by introducing the ‘Cop-24’ initiative.
The new system will focus on reducing the average response time for beat marshals from seven minutes to five minutes. Patrol locations will be strategically mapped in areas that are prone to frequent crimes. In addition, a special system with QR codes will be implemented to monitor the patrol teams, ensuring more efficient tracking and accountability.
Under ‘Cop-24,’ patrol teams will cover all 39 police station jurisdictions, working closely with the police control room. A total of 726 beat marshals will be equipped with 125 two-wheelers and vans, which will allow for more rapid responses across the city.
The primary objectives of the system include maintaining law and order, preventing criminal activities, ensuring fast arrival at crime scenes, and engaging with local citizens to resolve issues. The beat marshals will operate under the Crime Branch and will receive training to handle critical situations while coordinating with the public. They will also be equipped with modern weapons and body cameras to document their actions during operations.