Gujarat first state to introduce RFIDs for cops

Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sudhir Sinha said: “We will consider introducing RFID cards for policemen all over the state. It is indeed a good idea for improving security,surveillance and management of the police force.”

The RFID card system is an inexpensive and effective technology which provides for instant retrieval of crucial data about the cardholder,which is stored in the chip on the photo I-card. This can be done even from a distance with the help of specialised card readers. Several countries use the technology to improve security arrangements and policing.

Shashidharan added: “Important data in the cards can be instantly read by the card reader. Being a simple and fast method of roll call,the system will help in achieving improved productivity.”

In a bid to make it a low-cost project,the technical cell of the range police is using the simple GPRS network of mobile phone companies to transfer the coded data from the card onto a central server. The total estimated cost of the project in the range is around Rs 10 lakh.

Incidentally,Tamil Nadu was the first state in the country to propose the introduction of RFID cards for policemen in Madurai and Virudhuhanagar districts around February last year,but the project never took off. An Inspector General of Tamil Nadu Police attributed this to the promotion and transfer of DIG Jayanth Murali,who had conceptualised the project,to the CISF last June.

Elsewhere,the Delhi Police is in the process of acquiring RFID cards and card readers for improved surveillance during the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said: “Though we have Global Positioning Systems (GPSs) installed on our police vehicles,the process of acquiring RFID cards is on.”