LUCKNOW, Jan. 12 -- The smart and technology-enabled policing has taken a significant leap forward, with the UP Police's UP Cop App now serving as a virtual "Digital Police Station" for citizens statewide, said senior officials in a press note on Sunday. The app, a pillar of the state's police reforms, allows residents to access an extensive list of 27 police services from home. This digital shift drastically reduces the need for physical visits to police stations, offering services that include online FIR registration and copies, reporting lost articles, and various critical verification checks such as character, tenant, domestic help, and employee verification, said the officials. According to director general of police (DGP) Rajeev Krishna, the app reflects chief minister Yogi Adityanath's vision of making policing transparent, accountable and citizen-centric through technology. "The UP Cop App has become a major relief for the common people and has strengthened trust between citizens and police," he said. It has been downloaded by over 50 lakh users, with more than 2.1 crore FIR copies downloaded so far. Additionally, over 7.3 lakh people have reported lost articles through platform, highlighting its utility in everyday policing needs. Police officials said one of the most notable outcomes has been a sharp reduction in service resolution time. Character verification now takes around six days, down from eight earlier. Tenant verification has been reduced to about eight days from nearly 25 days, while employee verification now takes around five days, compared to 13 days previously. Several new features have enhanced the app's effectiveness, including real-time status updates, availability in Hindi and English, upgraded SOS and location-tracking functions, and a map-based option to locate nearby police stations during emergencies. htc...