Constantly under fire for arriving late after distress calls, the police will resort to technology to cut down their response time after getting a call on 100.

The technology they will use will be straight from the racecourse: Geographical Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS).

This will help them keep track of their mobile vans on duty. The moment the police get a response call, the vans can be pressed into immediate service.

“The ideal response time for any distress call should be four minutes and we admit that there have been delays, for various reasons,” said Ravindra Sengaonkar, DCP (special branch).

“We will automate the distress call service,” he said, highlighting a number of steps being undertaken.

For instance, GIS will be installed in the control room for distress calls. That will ensure that timelier, accurate and complete information is at hand. The control room staff will be trained in use of the new technology and in communicating better with callers.

Also, all vehicles on duty will be fitted with an automatic vehicle tracking system (AVTS) based on GPS. “It will be easier to identify and track the patrol vehicle nearest to the spot. This will ensure a speedier response,” the DCP said.

He cited various reasons for the present delay in response, such as shortage of personnel and vehicles and haphazard city traffic.

But Chandmal Parmar of Rajashree Parmar Memorial Foundation, an NGO working with the police for improvement in service, said the delay in response time was mainly due to police negligence. “On most calls the police unnecessarily delay action. The upgrade of the system will definitely help bring down negligence and delay,” he said.

Among the various problems cited by the police are hoax calls. “The biggest problem comes from the misuse of Dial 100,” Sengaonkar said. “Some citizens need to change. Around 70 per cent of the distress calls are hoaxes and end up diverting the attention of those working in the control room.”

Police staff on duty in the control room said many calls are made solely with the purpose of harassing women constables. “Nothing can be done as the calls are made through public telephone booths by unidentified people,” an officer said. Even educated citizens dial the number only to scare their disobedient children, a policeman said.

The police get some 350 distress calls every day and he said action is initiated immediately. The police have 84 mobile vans and 150 commandos on two-wheelers on emergency service, in addition to the 150 commandos of the traffic police.