JOHOR BARU: Those planning to leave their homes for the Deepavali holidays should use the Volunteer Smartphone Patrol (VSP) application to notify the police, says Johor police chief Comm Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad.
He said the application allows the police to identify homes left unattended and carry out crime prevention patrols more effectively during the festive period.
"With Deepavali falling on Sunday (Nov 8), we expect many Johoreans to take advantage of the long weekend to return to their hometowns or go on holidays.
"Many will be leaving their homes unattended during this period, so we encourage them to use the VSP application developed by the police.
"The application has several functions, including allowing users to notify the police when they are leaving their homes and report crimes or suspicious activities," he told reporters during a walkabout at a Deepavali bazaar in Johor Baru town here on Wednesday (Nov 4).
He said the application, which is available for free on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, also features a panic button that allows users to immediately alert the police in the event of an emergency.
"Between January and October this year, we recorded 5,294 registrations from those planning to leave their homes, compared with 4,425 during the same period last year.
"This represents an increase of 869 registrations, or about 20%.
"However, considering that Johor has a population of almost four million, the number is still relatively low," he said.
On another matter, Comm Ab Rahaman said a total of 1,781 police officers and personnel would be deployed across Johor under Ops Cahaya, which will be carried out from Nov 7 to 9 in conjunction with Deepavali.
"Our focus will not only be on preventing crime but also on managing traffic congestion and ensuring motorists comply with traffic regulations throughout the festive period.
"We will also be focusing on hotspots where traffic congestion is expected during the celebration," he said.
