An electronic beat monitoring system for constables, intelligent closed circuit cameras to monitor traffic and Blackberrys for booking traffic offences are among the key technology innovations being used to control traffic chaos in Bangalore.

Recently, the state intelligence too equipped itself with state-of-the-art electronic mail monitoring systems and switch-based telephone monitoring systems. However, the state’s criminal information system in which more than 1.50 crore data entries were fed does not have a built-in facility to search for terror-related information.

New state Director General of Police R Srikumar agrees that technology needs to be used in policing. He has set changes in technology usage, intelligence gathering and handling terrorism as key goals.

“We need a dedicated anti-terrorism unit that collects information from around the country and carries out investigations. data analysis will be a key function,” a senior police officer said.

At a national seminar on terrorism held in Bangalore in February, Delhi Special Cell Joint Commissioner Karnal Singh said that police organisations in the country need to become knowledge organisations as part of the strategy to curb terrorism.

A centralised database of information of terrorists that the police can easily access needs to be created to enable the police in any state to verify links and cross-links of people, their modus operandi, techniques and instruments used in terrorism, Singh had said.