Utilising digital technology for maintaining law and order and for ensuring the security of citizens in twenty-first century has become a top priority for the police force in every country of the world.
Modern-day policing needs to deal with complex criminality, both in real and virtual world, as more and more crimes now have digital elements in it.
The digital disruption has opened the door of both challenges and opportunities to a wide variety of crimes on the one hand and a plethora of technologies to deal with it on the other.
Addressing the complex criminality now require more specialist skills from the law enforcing agencies to deal with modern crimes, including cyber-crimes.
With the changing scenario, Bangladesh Police has also embraced digitalisation in various aspects of law enforcement where internet-based services are being utilized to ensure citizens’ safety.
In Bangladesh, the implementation of digitization measures such as e-policing has been playing a crucial role in identifying and combating crimes, especially cybercrime, in recent years.
E-policing has revolutionized the way Bangladesh Police handle cybercrime and other online-based criminal activities with the help of a centralized data center at the police headquarters.
One notable example of e-policing is the implementation of online General Diaries (GDs) where citizens can report lost passports, certificates, bank check-books, and various other issues.
Additionally, e-policing has now been extended to the use of national databases, including the case docket management, the crime statistics, the crime intelligence, the geo-policing, the motor vehicle clearing certificates, and the GIS mobile crime mapping for various purposes.
These databases enable the relevant agencies to gather crucial information and insights that eventually help in combating crimes efficiently.
Moreover, e-policing has now been integrated with the “National Emergency Service Call Center- 999” which enables the citizens to avail themselves of police, fire, and ambulance services dialing the toll-free number 999.
Besides, police clearance certificates are now also issued online in most cases for going or working abroad.
Furthermore, a wide range of e-services such as the IGP Complaint Cell, report to RAB, and Bangladesh Police Helpline have now been introduced to connect to the citizens and to combat crimes digitally.
Among the digital initiatives, the Personal Information Management System (PIMS) server stores all the information of every member of police force while the Crime Data Management System (CDMS) contains all the information related to the criminals, convicts, fugitives, professional convicts, and accomplices of the crimes.
In addition, Citizen Information Management System (CIMS) now holds information of landlords and tenants in urban areas.
Besides, access to the digital database of e-passport system now enables the law enforcing agencies to the photographs, fingerprints, and iris records of all the passport holders in the country.
Moreover, the on-site identification and verification system (OIVS) can identify any person with their details of national identity card, passport, crime history, and immigration history by simply using the fingerprint of a particular individual.
Furthermore, adoption of advanced technologies such as digital crime mapping and surveillance cameras is helping police to fight crimes with the help of technology.
The recent introduction of the e-services by law enforcing agencies has mostly been well-received by the citizens, particularly in cases of reporting child marriage, robbery, kidnapping, hijacking, rape, and in many cases of emergencies.
The implementation of centralized data centers and the use of online platforms and databases have made law enforcement more efficient, resulting in improved public safety. These advancements have significantly improved the overall efficiency and effectiveness of policing operations.
In addition, reaching out to and receiving services from the law enforcing agencies has become more convenient for general citizens as manual processes are being replaced by digital methods to expedite procedures in reporting complaints and in seeking justice.
However, unless the citizens are well-aware of the availability and utility of the digital policing services, optimum efficiency of digital policing cannot be ensured. Hence, raising mass awareness regarding the digital policing initiatives through both online and offline campaigns is necessary for making the services popular.
On the other hand, educating citizens about the best practices for cybersecurity, such as creating strong passwords, recognising phishing attempts, and staying vigilant while using digital platforms are also crucial to fight cybercrime.
As the law enforcing agencies are going through a digital transformation, it is crucial to prioritize equipping the agencies with updated technologies and devices to ensure digital security for all in the country.
Moreover, addressing cyber threats requires collaboration between government agencies, law enforcement agencies, private sector actors, and international partners so that they can share information, resources, and expertise to enhance the effectiveness of cybersecurity initiatives.
However, while investing in digital policing is vital, it is equally important that the digital policing adhere to “digital ethics.”
In this regard, the digital ethics require that appropriate frameworks and measures are in place to maintain the trust and confidence in the system where citizens’ data is handled with utmost professionalism and confidentiality.
Given the backdrop, establishing a strong cybersecurity framework is essential to protect the citizens and the law enforcing agencies themselves from threats and crimes using digital platforms as well as devices.
Hence, making and implementing effective laws and regulations are vital to deter cybercrime and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable.
On this end, further research and innovation must play a vital role in shaping future policies and strategies for the development of digital policing in Bangladesh.
The writer is an Assistant Professor at Department of Development Studies in the University of Dhaka, who can be reached at [email protected]
