QR Code Introduced for Tech-Savvy Police Services in Karnali Province

In a pioneering move towards enhancing citizen engagement and streamlining law enforcement, the Karnali Province Police Office in Surkhet has introduced a Quick Response (QR) code for tech-savvy police services. The unveiling ceremony took place in Birendranagar on Tuesday, with Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Bhim Prasad Dhakal leading the initiative.

The QR code, unveiled by DIG Dhakal, is aimed at facilitating easy access to police services for citizens. Speaking at the event, he emphasized its use in collecting grievances, addressing problems, and receiving constructive suggestions from the public. “This code will serve as a tool for citizens to voice their concerns, and we are committed to providing detailed updates on the status of complaints received through the QR code,” stated DIG Dhakal.

Under the overarching ‘Safe Karnali Special Campaign,’ various initiatives, including posting stickers in 227,424 houses, a victim’s aid program, interactive patrols, a passenger-friendly free application writing campaign, mobilization of citizen facilitators, and an awareness campaign against drug abuse, are currently underway.

The introduction of the QR code empowers citizens to lodge complaints related to law-and-order issues from any location, leveraging technology. DIG Dhakal assured that the identity of complainants would remain confidential. Complaints and grievances received through the QR code will be categorized as ‘most urgent,’ ‘urgent,’ and ‘general,’ and will be addressed accordingly.

For ‘most urgent’ complaints, the police office will provide an immediate response, while investigations and detailed responses for ‘urgent’ cases may take up to three days. General cases will be addressed within a five-day timeframe. The implementation of the QR code is expected to foster closer citizen-state engagement, enhance public trust in security measures, improve service delivery effectiveness, and expedite issue resolution.

As part of the ongoing initiatives, the police office reported that 7,262 individuals benefited from interactive patrols, 200,000 from the passenger-friendly campaign, and 1,565 from the free application writing program. The introduction of the QR code marks a significant step forward in harnessing technology to strengthen the connection between the police force and the community it serves.