MODERN POLICING: Police to roll out    system that accepts reports online by  the end of  September

SEREMBAN: POLICE will implement an online reporting system nationwide by the  end of September.

Initially, the system, which can be accessed through a link on the police  official website, will only accept reports on accidents.

Federal Crime Prevention Department director Datuk Ayub Yaakob said the move  was to make the force more user-friendly in line with modern policing.

“By the end of September, people can report accident cases online from  anywhere in the country at any time of the day,” said Ayub during a high-profile  policing visit to the Senawang Giant Hypermarket here yesterday.

Now in its pilot phase in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, the system will be  rolled out nationwide by the end of the year.

“The pilot phase has given us much feedback and we will use that information  to enhance the system before launching it nationwide.”

Ayub said eventually, the online system would be developed to accept other  types of police reports.

“We are in the midst of building and fine-tuning the system as we need to  consider everything, including the legal aspects.”

Among the things that need to be considered is the current practice of  needing the person to physically lodge the report and sign it, he explained.

“So, maybe in the early stages, only reports on cases that do not require a  signature would be accepted online. However, the person reporting the accident  online will still need to be present later at the traffic police station to meet  the investigation officer, who needs to interview them,” said Ayub.

At the moment, police forces in developed countries like Britain and  Australia have an online reporting system.

An online system, among others, allows the public to check the status of  their reports through the Internet.

Ayub said police would assign a password to those who have lodged a report  to enable them to access their reports online.

With the system, the public need not call the investigation officer to check  the progress of their reports.

-NST