The Kerala Police POL application: Bridging the Gap between Citizens and Law Enforcement

At present, you will come across a new app known as POL application which has been created by Kerala police. It happens to be an effective solution for as many as 27 services. This app was launched on 10th June by Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister. People can get help from the police easily with the help of this app. The best thing is that more services will be included in the app in the future. This app can also be used to find the closest police station.

Easy police assistance only for you

The POL application can be helpful to the residents in various ways and these have been organized properly too. Here, we have focused on some essential things that can be done with this app:

Reporting bad stuff

The app mentioned here will assist you in informing the cops regarding stuff such as bullying, theft, mishaps, and any other weird things. On top of this, you can also inform the police regarding emergencies or criminal activities directly. It is also possible to send videos and pictures to help the cops and provide solutions within a short time.

Ref Link- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.keralapolice&hl=en_US&pli=1

Information services

The aforementioned POL app comes with lots of essential information regarding laws and safety. Apart from this, it consists of a section that will help you to revive the lost things. You can also gain some knowledge of traffic regulations, police stations, and what must be done in case something goes wrong.

Maintaining the safety of women and children

It is known to the POL application that females and kids are in need of extra assistance on some occasions. You will come across some special sections dedicated only to this. The app will also be useful to the parents since it will be possible for them to monitor their little ones with GPS. The app can also be used by females while traveling solo or if they are ill-treated by others.

Sharing your problems and thoughts

You will be able to inform the cops in case something has to be fixed or you are happy with their services. The POL application will allow the cops to listen to the feedback of others about their quality of services. In this way, it will be possible for the cops to improve things right now. You might likewise lodge a complaint if any cop does something wrong.

Information services 

You can receive lots of information with the help of this application regarding traffic regulations, police stations, and so on. You can likewise make the POL app to retrieve any lost item.

Kerala Police advantages

Below, we have shared with you how the aforementioned application is beneficial for the Kerala Police.

Getting help from information provided by the app 

It is possible for the cops to know about criminal activities with the help of the app. Thus, they will be able to figure out better ways to prevent crimes from happening.

Help within a short time

The cops will be able to act promptly and send help if you inform them regarding any criminal activities or accidents that have happened right now. It implies that they will be capable of stopping harmful things from taking place promptly.

Working together 

People will be able to come in touch with the police easily with the help of the POL application. In this way, everyone will think that he has been able to contribute to the community when it comes to enhancing safety. You can inform the cops in case you see something weird happening so that they will be able to fix the situation.

Challenges and considerations

There are also some drawbacks to the POL application just like it has many benefits. Here, we have mentioned some of those challenges.

Cybersecurity concerns

It is of prime importance to make certain that all your information is kept safe by this app. It is the duty of the cops to check the security on a regular basis and also update it so that it is not possible for fake people to get hold of your private information.

Digital divide

Many individuals in the state of Kerala do not own smartphones and some of them also do not have access to the Internet. For this, it is imperative for the cops to help them in other ways such that it is possible for everybody to receive assistance despite not having a smartphone.

Misuse of the application

This app might be used by some people for telling lies or doing some silly stuff. The cops need to prevent this from happening by making rules so that everybody is able to use the app in a sensible manner.

The road ahead: A model for modern policing

There is no doubt that the POL application mentioned in this article will be a wonderful solution for assisting people with the help of technology. In case this app is able to get the job done then cops in other states of India and across the globe will likewise want to perform something identical.

It will be possible for the police to help the community in a better way with the help of this application. It will help us to feel safe and have more faith in the police if they continue to improve the app and go on helping us. We also need to consider some other aspects while talking about the benefits of using the POL app. These are as follows:

Public perception

Ask individuals for their feedback regarding the app after conducting surveys or talking to them. Also, try to find out whether they can use the app easily, whether it helps them, and if they feel safe or not.

It has been revealed by a recent study that this aforementioned app has been liked by people in Kerala. According to them, it is simple to use as well as useful. People liked the idea of reporting stuff and receiving information on their smartphones. Some of them asserted that it is desirable for more people to know about this app, particularly in rural areas. Moreover, some people tried innovative ideas to improve the application. On the other hand, some of them asserted that the app took a long time to perform things in the long run.

Ref Link- https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2020/06/11/kerala-police-services-now-just-a-click-away-with-new-pol-app.html

Case studies

Here, we have depicted some real-life examples of the manner in which this app has been capable of detecting criminals, solving crimes, and also helping people in times of need. It has helped to depict the usefulness of the app for sure.

Helping to prevent bad things from happening

Once a woman traveling in public transport used this app to inform the police that something was disturbing her. The cops received the message instantly and the bus was halted. The person responsible for the irritation of the woman was caught by the police and it was possible for the lady to remain safe.

Finding a lost kid

Recently, a small kid was playing in the park and got lost. This made his parents worried a lot. They took the help of the POL app to inform the cops that their kid was not found. The cops also found the picture of the kid and other details from the application. Soon they were able to find the lost child and return him to his parents. This incident was enough to prove the efficiency of the app in finding lost individuals successfully.

Preventing crime from happening

It is feasible for people to take the help of this application to inform the cops in case something seems to be abnormal. Recently, this app was used by some people to inform the police that a suspicious vehicle was loitering in the area. The police started monitoring the area after receiving the message. Soon, they were successful in preventing a crime from taking place.

Comparison with other applications

Several mobile apps have been developed by the cops in other parts of India as well. Here, we have compared the POL app with those applications:

• Emphasizing user experience – The cops in the state of Kerala have made certain that one can use the POL app easily. It is simple to comprehend despite the fact that you might not be using a smartphone.
• Comprehensive features – Compared to other apps used by the cops, this one is more effective. It can be used by the police to know whether any bad thing is happening and also whether the kids and women are safe. Moreover, one can also share information with the cops if required.

Ref Link- https://www.twentyfournews.com/2020/06/07/pol-app-new-mobile-app-created-by-kerala-police.html

Conclusion

The POL application will help to make people feel that they can keep their community safe. It is being used by the Kerala police quite extensively right now. We all hope that there will be more improvements in the application in the upcoming days.