The state government can take credit for launching e-COPS, the state's first computerized police station network, but with respect to its implementation part, city police seem unwilling to adapt to the new system. For example, Bolarum police recently complained to the police computer services (PCS), which oversee the e-COPS project, that its uninterruptible power supply (UPS) was damaged.
The PCS immediately rectified it, but within a day a new complaint came from the same police station on the UPS problem. To their chagrin, PCS personnel found that Bolarum police were obtaining power directly from the power transmission lines for the computer system, which resulted in the UPS breaking. The police station has a power connection, but the power was drawn directly from the transmission lines to run the computers. The e-COPS was launched in Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam last month at a cost of Rs 18 crore.
According to PCS sources, despite the advantages offered by the e-COPS which provides a number of features, the city police staff is not willing to make use of the network. "For example, the city police only issue FIRs through the project, although it can be used to file the case diary, make entries in the general police diaries, prepare turn lists and enter crime records said that e-COPS could even detect whether a police officer is continuously stationed for sentinel duties and suggest the SHO to use the workforce in a judicious manner.
"The fact that the entries made on the computer can not be changed once it was sent to the main server, probably prevents the officers from using the system," said a senior official. The situation, apparently, is not better in Vijayawada as well. Recently, the computer equipment was infested with termites at the Patamata police station, as it was not placed correctly. When contacted, IG (PCS) SV Ramanamurthy said that the issue of police stations not making proper use of the system would be led to the notification of the most important to ensure their maximum use.