New Delhi: In a bid to keep police alert during night duty and improve coordination among officials, Delhi Police has launched a four-personnel unit called ‘Delta-48’.

Delta-48 is a call sign that the officers use to communicate with each other during night operations and policing. Each police station and district in the national capital has different call signs.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla launched this initiative after he was appointed as the DCP.

This unit comprises four officials -- constables and head constables -- who work in rotational shifts in the New Delhi district. They not only keep the police personnel alert during night duty but also ensure that they are provided with tea, snacks, and fluorescent jackets to the patrolling staff from 8 pm to 6 am.

The New Delhi district houses the president, prime minister, parliament and parliamentarians and has 10 police stations. Each police station has about 100 police staff including three police inspectors.

On April 17, around 28 bikers were nabbed with the coordinated effort of Parliament Street and Kartavya Path police station staff for allegedly driving recklessly.

Praising the effectiveness of Delta-48 initiative, DCP Mahla told PTI, "We managed to nab all of the bikers within 30 minutes or so as our staff was on alert at various checkpoints and intersections. All thanks to good communication and coordination by the New Delhi patrolling staff and to my two officials, who kept alerting our patrolling staff the whole night.” According to DCP’s directions, the Delta-48 officials must visit the patrolling staff at least twice in the night and submit a report of their visits to his office.

Senior Delhi police officers will also conduct surprise checks at the checkpoints, police stations and barricades as night Gazetted Officers in their districts.

(Inputs from PTI. Except for the headline, Republic has not edited the content)