Soon, citizens can be a traffic police personnel for a day

If all goes as per the plan of the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP), citizens will be able to experience a day in the life of a traffic police personnel. The BTP is planning to launch a ‘citizen cop for a day’ initiative to provide real-time experience in managing peak-hour traffic and to gather suggestions for improving traffic regulation.

The initiative has two main objectives: to educate more people about traffic management—encouraging wider discussions and awareness, and to gather fresh ideas for improving traffic management in the city.

Under the programme, citizens will be selected by the police after reviewing applications. The criteria are yet to be finalised. The selected individuals will receive training from on-ground traffic personnel during peak hours for a day. After a day of training, the citizen will be deployed to manage traffic during peak hours for another day.

“We will accommodate as many applications as possible, depending on factors like the number of selected junctions and total applications. Selected citizens can choose the date and junction where they want to manage traffic after the formal launch of the initiative,” a senior police officer from the BTP told The Hindu.

While the blueprint for the initiative has been prepared, details such as the junctions, selection process, eligibility criteria, and schedule of implementation are yet to be finalised.

Busting stigma, inviting suggestions

The senior officer added that the initiative is crucial in bridging the existing gap between police officers and citizens, helping to dispel the stigma of ‘strictness’ often associated with the police.

“One of the reasons police are often villainised is that many people are unfamiliar with our work and the conditions under which we operate,” the officer said. “This initiative will give citizens a closer look at our profession, which is beneficial in two ways—by increasing self-awareness about following traffic rules and by helping spread that awareness,” he added.

The BTP also believes that when a citizen is deployed at a junction, they can offer a fresh perspective on solving underlying issues that police officers might have overlooked, as officers are often conditioned to view problems from a fixed standpoint.

“With fresh perspectives, we can re-examine underlying issues and come up with practical solutions,” the officer said.

The initiative comes just days after the BTP announced plans to involve students as ‘police marshals’ to flag traffic violations around educational institutions. The move reflects a citizen-centric approach aimed at addressing traffic violations and promoting traffic discipline.