Traditional policing strategies are no longer sufficient to address complexities in today's cities. As Southeast Asian cities continue to evolve, public safety is more challenging and essential. The 2023 Global Organised Crime Index revealed that 83 percent of the world's population lives in conditions of high criminality. Southeast Asian nations ranked amongst the top 50 nations internationally in the criminality index. Preventing crime is a complex business: an innocent citizen being mistaken as a suspect, allegations of enforcement brutality and corruption, and a lack of primary evidence are some of the challenges.
To keep cities safe, we must prevent criminals from making their first move. The key lies in smart policing, which takes advantage of technological advances in data analytics, video surveillance, and predictive tools to enhance public safety.
Video technology has revolutionised safety and made smart policing possible, with cameras and analytics providing insights that can prevent incidents. Today's 'smart' cameras analyse patterns and behaviours, transforming city safety by offering actionable insights. Cities worldwide use video technology to boost public safety, from locating lost children to tracking criminal activities, enhancing response times and providing police with critical data.
Smart policing moves from reacting to incidents to preventing them. Here are some ways that smart policing helps to improve public safety, streamline operations, and build community trust for smarter, safer cities.
Enhanced surveillance and crime deterrence
The shift from traditional policing to a more proactive, technology-based approach marks a significant evolution in how cities manage safety and tackle crime. Video technology extends policing capabilities way beyond the limitations of the human eye. City authorities are integrating advanced analytics with their existing video technology. This transforms video monitoring into a proactive tool, providing actionable insights that enhance city safety.
Today, police departments can uncover patterns and extract insights from data to predict potential crimes and act before they occur. They're using data specialists, who are experts in making the most out of video data. For instance, police can now use analytics to predict where break-ins are likely to occur. By stationing officers in those areas, they successfully prevent them from happening.
Community engagement and trust building
A successful police force earns the community's trust and respect and provides safety. Body-worn cameras play a pivotal role here. Singapore is one example, where local police officers have used body-worn cameras since 2015, and selected frontliners and enforcement officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force have donned body-worn cameras since 2022. Body-worn cameras have the potential to strengthen public trust in law enforcement, lower the number of citizen complaints, defend officers against false accusations, increase accountability, and improve officer training and evaluation.
Video technology also extends beyond surveillance, offering a treasure trove of video data that can be harnessed for the benefit of the community. For instance, when analytics from the video data pinpoint poorly lit alleys as hotspots for suspicious activities, these could spark new collaboration between police departments and city planners to transform these areas into well-lit community spaces or convert neglected areas into vibrant parks. Such initiatives can make neighbourhoods safer and more inviting.
Real-time response and crisis management
Whether it's a protest turning tense or a natural disaster, the ability to respond quickly makes all the difference. Modern city police are turning to video technology to gain the edge at these critical moments. Body-worn cameras and drones provide crucial live video feeds to guide swift responses. With the added advantage of knowing the exact GPS locations of cameras, police can deploy assistance exactly where it's needed. This ensures a quick, informed, and effective response during emergencies.
Likewise, drones offer a bird's-eye view of events as they unfold. Whether it's a large public gathering or navigating the aftermath of an earthquake, drones deliver unmatched perspectives that ground-based operations can't, enhancing situational awareness and aiding in effective crowd management and emergency response. When it comes to monitoring city traffic, instantly identifying incidents from bottlenecks and unexpected roadblocks makes all the difference. Real-time data allows for immediate action—whether it's redirecting traffic, alerting emergency services, or even providing alternate routes to avoid delays.
Challenges and considerations of smart policing
As police departments embrace smart policing, they face challenges like privacy concerns, cybersecurity, and tech readiness. Smart policing requires new skills, including data analysis, which many departments lack. Choosing a responsible and ethical technology provider is crucial.
Police must balance enhancing public safety with protecting individual rights, and ensuring transparency in data collection and usage while complying with privacy laws. Modern video technology focuses on analysing patterns and behaviours, not personal identities, to build public trust.
Technology can bridge community engagement, transparency, and trust. Achieving this balance between vigilance and privacy, and between rapid response and ethical governance, is key to leveraging these innovations for the greater good. It's a long-term investment but promises significant returns in safety, efficiency, and community trust.
The future of smarter, safer cities
Ultimately, smart policing is leading the way toward smarter, safer cities by embracing video technology and advanced analytics. This approach enhances the ability to respond to incidents and reshapes community trust. The promise of a future where Artificial Intelligence, drones, and the Internet of Things work in concert with law enforcement is on the horizon.
The article titled "Smart policing: Using video technology to enhance city safety" was authored by Malou Toft, Vice President Asia Pacific at Milestone Systems
About the author
Malou Toft joined Milestone Systems in 2018 as Vice President for EMEA after an extensive career at the Scandinavian telecommunications company Telenor Group. Malou Toft held various commercial positions in both Scandinavia and Southeast Asia and has broad experience within go-to-market strategy and digital transformation. Malou Toft holds a Master of Science in Management of Innovation and Business Development from Copenhagen Business School and also studied at the
University of Southern California, Melbourne University and London Business School. She received numerous recognitions for excellence in business development and leadership, including recognition as a Top 100 Business Talent by Danish business newspaper Berlingske Tidende and an award for outstanding leadership by the Danish Association of Lawyers and Economists (djøf).
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