The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) has approved a £400 million initiative to establish a “digital unit” aimed at combating cybercrime. The recruitment of numerous officers already underway.
AR Potential in Policing
Martyn Evans, the chairman of SPA, has outlined the department’s current focus on assessing and implementing advanced devices like wearable video recorders (BWVS). These devices have the potential to incorporate features such as facial recognition, real-time language translation, and even lip-reading.
Additionally, by using the power of augmented reality (AR), these wearables can provide crucial information like local crime data and prompt alerts about threats like firearms. This integration aims to enhance task efficiency and the safety of officers in the field.
Drawing inspiration from the application of AR intelligent interactive glasses by the Chinese police, Police Scotland is exploring the potential benefits of such technology for their operations. These glasses, integrated with the police cloud system and tailored to the needs of law enforcement, enable rapid face recognition and license plate comparison in milliseconds.
Lightweight and portable, they provide real-time information through a combination of visuals, text, and sound, thereby significantly improving the efficiency of duty personnel.
Cautious Application is Encouraged
During an SPA board meeting in Edinburgh, a presentation on the Police Scotland digital strategy was delivered by Andrew Hendry, the chief digital information officer.
The presentation emphasized the cautious consideration of emerging digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and facial recognition. It was stressed that these technologies should only be introduced into operational policing following thorough data ethics assessments.
While no definitive plans for highly invasive measures have been disclosed, experts acknowledge the rapid advancement of such technologies.
