Traffic Police to Get 200 Body Cams Keep Eye on Violators, Erring Staff.

The Chennai traffic police, in an attempt to reduce confrontation between its personnel and motorists, plan to introduce 200 body-worn cameras by the first week of October. The department has invited tenders for these devices and the project would cost Rs 1 crore.

Once introduced, traffic policemen across Chennai will have to wear body cameras weighing around 150g. The devices would record traffic violations and conversations for up to 10 hours. "We have floated tenders and the distribution of these cameras will start by next month," said a police officer. "This will help us keep track of the behaviour of officers," said A Arun, additional commissioner, traffic wing.

Motorists welcomed the move. "It is good to have body-worn cameras as the Centre is planning to increase fines for traffic violations," said Palanivel Rajan of Kilpauk. "It will make them more cautious and they will stop asking for a bribe," he said. Allegations of bribery crop up against traffic policemen even though cashless payments have been introduced. Discussions of policemen misbehaving with motorists, secretly recorded by someone, have gone viral on social media.