FACETAGR database to get wider

In a bid to curb the movement of inter-State robber gangs, the Chennai police will be uploading data on criminals from the southern States on FACETAGR, a face recognition application.

The city police have requested the Crime Records Bureau of the southern States to share the details. Puducherry has already provided the details.

According to Vijay Gnanadesikan, director, FACETAGR, the technology was first used in the T. Nagar police district in October 2017.

Initially, data on 12,000 criminals were uploaded on the application.

Beat policemen use app

“As on date, there are 67,000 persons, including those from Puducherry. Once we get data from States such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Karnataka, the numbers will increase,” said Mr. Gnanadesikan. The application is being used in 10 out of 12 police districts. All the beat policemen have the application on their phones.

Once the police scan the suspect’s face on the application, it generates details of his location, cases against him and the police station limits he belongs too. Further action is taken based on this.

“We can also identify criminals and gangsters from other States using the application once the respective crime records bureau share details,” said a police officer.

The Washermanpet district police personnel recently got the app.

“It has been provided to 18 police inspectors, sub-inspectors and 150 beat policemen,” said a senior police officer.

There are 700 criminals in A, A plus, B and C categories. “We have uploaded all their details in the application,” the officer said.