Throughout the ages, humans have tirelessly endeavored to devise novel means of improving their lives. Every once in a while, a revolutionary invention comes with the power to advance humanity and reshape the trajectory of history. From the wheel to the World Wide Web, there have been many inventions that resulted in enhancing the efficiency in the work we do.
A notable technological advancement in recent times is the advent of Artificial Intelligence, popularly known as Al. Al is changing the way we work and live. We see numerous instances of how Al is affecting the society and impacting our lifestyle. Artificial Intelligence and its sub system Machine Learning (ML) has already been a part of various sectors, such as transportation, finance, energy, healthcare etc., for a fairly good amount of time. However, the incorporation of AI into police forces is a more recent development compared to its longstanding presence in these other domains.
We have witnessed that in most cases malicious actors are the pioneers in adopting any new technology. Artificial Intelligence is already leveraged by them to script and automate crimes. It is crucial for law enforcement agencies to be fluent with contemporary technologies for better justice delivery.
Artificial Intelligence is now become a pivotal tool to prevent and detect crimes especially in urban areas. Although Artificial Intelligence in policing is still in the early stages in India, but there is gradual integration in the following ways;
- Facial Recognition of Criminals
The integration of machine learning into surveillance systems has proven to be valuable in recognizing human faces and this can help in the prevention and detection of crimes in addition to intercepting the criminals. These surveillance systems can be installed at airports, railway stations, and major public areas to help the police identify and arrest criminals based on images fed into the system.
- Predictive analytics
Another area related to machine learning that can help police is predictive analytics. Predictive analytics that leverages Machine Learning is a powerful tool that the police can use to improve public safety measures and achieve operational efficiency. The ML tools focus on patterns and trends in historical crime data, making it easier for police to anticipate where and when such crimes are most likely to occur. When such trends are spotted, the police can proactively take action by allocating necessary resources and concentrating their efforts. For example, when the system identifies a trend in a crime being committed in a particular area, the police can then allocate resources or increase patrolling to that area so that they can proactively manage the situation and prevent a crime from occurring.
- Pattern recognition
One of the most powerful applications of machine learning in policing is in the field of pattern recognition. Crimes often exhibit distinct patterns, whether carried out by the same individuals or share a similar modus operandi. The police can benefit if they are able to spot patterns in crimes. The data that the police get from crimes is essentially unstructured data. This data needs to be organized and sifted through to find patterns. Machine learning tools can compare various crimes easily and generate a similarity score. Machine learning’s ability to transform raw and unstructured crime data into actionable intelligence can lead to more effective crime prevention.
- Cybersecurity
With the extensive use of the internet everywhere, cyber criminals are targeting computer systems across the world. The importance of cybersecurity goes beyond solving cases; it is crucial for proactively preventing cyber crimes. Cybersecurity can be enhanced using machine learning for anomaly detection, behavioral analysis, phishing & fraud detection and many more. By harnessing the ML capabilities, we can stay ahead of cyber threats and bolster our defence mechanisms.
- Traffic Management and Automatic Detection of Violations
The centralized traffic management centres can use machine learning algorithms instead of police officers manually viewing large amounts of videos and camera feeds to automate the traffic management at major signals. Some of the traffic management and enforcement measures that imply / utilize artificial intelligence & machine learning are automated video analysis, dynamic traffic flow optimization, traffic violation detection and automated challan generation. Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) launched by Bengaluru Traffic Police is an excellent example of use of Artificial Intelligence in Automated Challaning System.
- Enhanced public safety
Ensuring public safety is an important function of the police. This can be enhanced through the use of machine learning. Some tools that are being used in this regard are:
- Machine Learning powered gunfire detection sensors that can detect instances of gunshots and triangulate the location based on the audio data from the sensors. Police can reach the trouble spot quickly even before anyone can call or raise a complaint.
- A machine learning-based system can analyse historical crime data to predict the likelihood of commission of crime, potential crime hotspots and help police to prevent it.
- Utilising advanced image and video analysis, Artificial Intelligence assisted crowd control system can help LEAs in monitoring and overseeing large gatherings during events, protests or assemblies. Further this can facilitate efficient management of crowds entering / exiting the venues, providing insights to ensure public safety.
By embracing contemporary technological developments and leveraging artificial intelligence judiciously, law enforcement agencies can bridge the gap between demand and availability of police personnel. All these adoptions can contribute to a more systematic, efficient and effective police force that enhances public safety and security.