GUJRAT: The regional police is all set to launch drone camera technology for intelligence gathering, combing and search operations and checking daily security duty of important sites in the six districts across Gujranwala region.

Preparations for launching the use of drones have been completed in four of the six districts, including Gujranwala, Gujrat, Narowal, Hafizabad, Sialkot and Mandi Bahauddin, said an official at the regional police office in Gujranwala.

He said the idea was the brainchild of Regional Police Officer Tariq Abbas Qureshi, making Gujranwala the first region in Punjab to use such technology.

“Drone units are highly beneficial for the police department because they can be deployed for a wide range of usages, from live coverage, intelligence gathering to raid operations and the induction of drone cameras shows the commitment of Gujranwala police towards citizen-friendly policing,” a senior police officer said.

Drones particularly provide valuable information to a raiding police team about the location, direction, type of weapons, escape routes and number of armed criminals in order to assess the threat and risk while formulating a strategy for their advance approach.

Initially, at least two cameras have been procured by the police of respective districts keeping in view the local requirements. These cameras will be used at the district headquarters level however police can use them anywhere in the district prior to combing and search operations.

Security duties at the district courts, banks, educational institutions and other important public places could also monitored in the morning daily through these drones.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2019