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SINGAPORE: Authorities are rolling out tests for new standalone devices that allow people to communicate with the police remotely.
Two prototypes, known as police beacons, will be tested for a year starting this month, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the National Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) said in a joint press release. on Friday (December 11).
The prototypes will be deployed at the Punggol Waterway Park Connector and Sengkang Riverside Park Connector.
“The police beacon aims to improve police presence, increase accessibility to emergency services, and improve police response to those who need police assistance in quieter and more secluded places,” said SPF and HTX.
The new police beacon is being tested at the Punggol Waterway Park Connector and Sengkang Riverside Park Connector.
Equipped with intervention tools such as closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, sirens, flashing lights, spotlights and speakers, which can be operated remotely from the Police Operations Command Center (POCC), the beacons “serve as a visible projection of police presence even when police officers are not physically present, ”said SPF and HTX.
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Members of the public can connect to the POCC quickly, directly and in real time via a communications button on each beacon, and the police will be able to provide assistance remotely before officers arrive on the scene.
A man demonstrates how to use the new police beacon being tested by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the National Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX).
“Members of the public will be able to interact directly with the police, provide information and request help,” said SPF and HTX.
“Real-time video images of the vicinity of the police beacon can be viewed in the POCC and will complement the police sense-making and incident management capabilities.
“With CCTV, the police can better assess situations live and therefore be better equipped to assist members of the public in real time.”
The new police beacon is being tested at the Punggol Waterway Park Connector and Sengkang Riverside Park Connector.
The beacons also feature motion detection lights and electronic displays that display crime prevention messages.
In addition, each beacon is equipped with an automated external defibrillator (AED), and the police will receive an alert when it is accessed. The police can then determine if the mobilization of emergency medical services is required.
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The beacons were conceptualized and designed by the HTX Surveillance Program Management Center in conjunction with SPF.
Bernard Phang, director of the center, said: “The police beacon is an integration of various technologies, such as live audio and video technologies, and sensors to allow the police to respond much faster to incidents in public spaces.”
“The police beacon acts as an additional node for the public to report incidents during emergencies with the push of a button, and facilitates police intervention through remote activation.”
The new police beacon is being tested at the Punggol Waterway Park Connector and Sengkang Riverside Park Connector.
Senior Deputy Commissioner of Police Lian Ghim Hua, SPF’s director of operations, said the beacons will be a valuable addition to the police arsenal, with benefits for both the public and law enforcement officials.
“The police beacon is intended to enhance the sense of public safety and provide members of the public with better access to the police, especially in times of emergency,” said SAC Lian.
“It will further enhance the operational effectiveness of the police in deterring and responding to crime.
“The police will continue to explore and adopt technology to enhance our capabilities to keep Singapore safe.”
SPF and HTX said the public can expect to see more police beacons at connectors in parks and other public spaces in the future, if the test is successful.
