Jaipur: A deserted building, vacant plot or garbage dumping ground may appear to be just another neglected corner of the city. But for Hanumangarh police, such places are increasingly turning into dots on a live crime map, with reports of drug use helping identify pockets where cops need to patrol more frequently.SP B Adithya said police have identified nearly 30 drug-consumption hotspots across the district under their Safe City initiative and are using AI-based geo-tagging to map these locations. The aim is to identify clusters of drug-related activity and direct police teams towards places where the problem is concentrated rather than spread patrol resources evenly across the district.
Hanumangarh cops inspect deserted and vulnerable locations flagged as potential drug-use hotspots under the district’s Safe City drive
Every fresh report can add another data point to the map. Police receive information about suspected drug use, drug selling or discarded syringes and other drug-related waste. The location can be marked on a map and photographs uploaded. The information is then verified by police teams on the ground and used to identify locations requiring greater surveillance.“Once an input is generated by the public on the Safe City portal, that input is automatically sent to the nearest team through the portal. The field team visits the location instantly, records the findings and updates them on the portal. Based on the findings, the data-based digital map is updated,” Adithya said.He added that the portal will soon include a chatbot that will provide immediate intelligence inputs to police based on the database being created from public inputs and police reports.The AI-based geo-tagging approach has shifted the focus from individual offenders to the geography of drug crime. Once a location repeatedly figures in complaints or police observations, it can emerge as a hotspot, prompting repeated patrols and checks. Police have deployed 10 motorcycles and a 20-member special team for the drive.Officials said the exercise has already led police to act against around 100 suspected drug users and offenders. Teams have been visiting deserted stretches, abandoned buildings, vacant plots and other isolated locations identified through the hotspot mapping exercise.
Hanumangarh cops inspect deserted and vulnerable locations flagged as potential drug-use hotspots under the district’s Safe City drive
The system also allows police to tap into information that may never reach a police station. Residents can report suspected drug consumption or sale anonymously through the Safe City platform, providing the location, nature of the activity and, if available, photographs. Such reports can help police identify places that may otherwise remain outside their routine policing patterns.
