Predictive Policing tech to enhance homeland security : FICCI-EY report

New Delhi :  Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, envisioned a tech-savvy police force capable of providing security to the citizens even as the physical and emotional needs of a policeman are given the care they deserved from senior officers. Inaugurating the 1st Police Expo 2018 & 2nd YOUNG Superintendents of Police Conference 2018, organized by FICCI and Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D), on the theme of ‘Predictive Policing & Contemporary Challenges for Indian Police Forces’, Home Minister  Rajnath Singh said, “Predictive policing required modern technological capability and weapons to deal with the complex crimes that pervade in society”. This event organized by FICCI at New Delhi on Thursday 26 th July.

 Talking about the usage of social media and internet, the Home Minister said that handling social media is a huge challenge and “we must ensure maximum positive use of social media”.

 He also commended the use of less-lethal and non-lethal weapons along with modern weapon systems, use of drones and forensic technology to strengthen the security system.

Mr. Singh laid stress on understanding the emotional and physical constraints and the workload under which the police force has to operate. The Home Minister urged the senior police officers to consider induction of talented students of engineering colleges, IITs and IIMs as interns in police organisations to give them first-hand knowledge of the challenges and requirements of a modern police force so that they could utilize their skills to develop the required technologies.

On the occasion, the Union Home Minister released the FICCI – EY Report ‘Predictive Policing and way forward’.

Mr. Rajiv Jain, Director, Intelligence Bureau, advised the young police officers to make the optimal use of the technologies being made available by the government to ensure basic policing in the country.

Dr. A. P. Maheshwari, Director General, BPR&D emphasised the role of R&D and data analytics to develop an integrated technological system for dealing with the violation of law and crimes. He said that the Bureau would soon launch a pan-India Crime Victim Survey to gauge the perception of the people with regard to the efficacy of technological applications and their utility.

This is the first time that an expert Screening Committee has been set-up by BPR&D to evaluate the products and technologies offered by industries for subsequent field trials and pilot projects. The aim is to ensure better customization and adoption as per the requirements of Indian police forces.

Mr. Y. K. Modi, Past President FICCI & Executive Chairman, Great Eastern Energy Corporation Ltd. underlined the need to implement police reforms in states and enhance the remuneration of police personnel for effective policing. “The private sector was keen to collaborate with the police force to beef-up the security of the country and its citizens,” he said. Mr. Modi added that the internal security and law and order was vital for economic progress and creation of jobs.

Mr. V. H. DeshmukhADG, BPR&D and Mr. Rahul Chaudhry, FICCI Homeland Security Chair also shared their perspectives on the subject.

The two-day Expo will deliberate on ‘Technologies for Predicting Offenders, Predicting Perpetrators Identities & Predicting Crime Victims’; ‘Safe Cities v/s Smart Cities’; ‘Public Procurement in Internal Security -Way Ahead’; ‘Predictive Policing and Emerging Trends in Cyber Crime’; ‘Next Generation Technologies for SMART Policing’; and ‘Predicting Cyber Crime Against Women’.

Besides the conference, the event comprises a wide exposition of technologies, products and solutions providing a unique B2G platform for Industry and Government.

The FICCI – EY Report presents an overview of the prevalence of predictive policing solutions in India, the challenges being faced by Indian agencies and some notable case studies for predictive policing and related projects that have been undertaken by agencies across the country.  Predictive policing is indeed the next step of smart policing that enables the agencies to deliver services efficiently and proactively.