Introduction
About Us The Data Processing Unit (DPU) was formed in 1971 to handle the Data Processing requirements and needs of the SPF. A year later, the 1st computerised system for SPF, Accident Statistics (Batch) was developed under the Computer Services Department, Ministry of Finance.
With the expansion of DPU, it was renamed to the Electronics, Computers and Communications Department (ECC) in 1981. ECC consisted of two main divisions: The Computer Systems Division and the Force Communications Branch.
For achieving high quality standards, the ISO 9001 standard certification was awarded to ECC in November 1999.
The ECC merged with the Technology Planning Division of the Planning and Organisation Department and the Special Project (C3) Department to form a new Police Technology Department on 15th April 2000. This re-organisation was in accordance with SPF's long term objective to make use of technology as a driving force towards achieving her vision of being a world class police force.
A year later, on 15th April 2001, the Police Coast Guard (PCG) IT Team was integrated into the PTD. This further enhances the knowledge sharing and management accumulated.
Over the past 30 years, PTD has grown from a small unit of 3 Staff Officers to the current manpower strength of 256. With the accumulated experience and expertise, PTD is moving towards providing better services and solutions, adopting the available commercial off-the-shelf technology to satisfy the requirements and needs of the SPF, both on the tactical and strategic level.
Vision
As a world-class organisation, we want to be recognised and admired for our high standards of service delivery and operational performance. Being a reputable organisation at home and abroad, we are a role model to other organisations and police agencies and set benchmarks of excellence for them.
We aspire to be proactive in supporting SPF and in doing that, we harness the power of knowledge, innovation and technology. Through our people who are our intellectual knowledge capital, the state-of-the-art technology and innovations in technology and the innovative use of it, we support and enhance SPF's strategic objectives, operational efficiency, and effectiveness.
We seek to passionately inspire all our people, our customers, business alliances, research partners and the community as the culture of knowledge sharing is within us and we treasure and recognise the value of our people. We also embrace all that we work with in a larger community of interest and practice.
Mission
The mission of the Police Technology Department is to provide necessary technological solutions and services, and human expertise to enhance SPF's operational efficiency and effectiveness.
Strategic Thrusts
Develop innovative and effective infocomm technology capability to enhance operational readiness and quality service.
Invest and develop our people, expertise and professionalism.
Proactive in establishing strong collaboration and long term alliances with strategic partners and research institutions.
Develop and establish benchmarks and standards.
Our Achievement
| The Enterprise Challenge Project m-POD |
 The Enterprise Challenge (TEC) Is a new $10m Fund set up to provide funds and sponsorship for Innovative proposals that have the potential to create new value or significant improvements to the delivery of public service. TEC provides sponsorship of funds and test beds for such innovations that needs to be trial tested so that its feasibility and practicality can be proven.
The purpose of TEC is to encourage creativity, innovation and enterprise among our people, to spark, develop and fund initiatives that can create new value for the Public Service and fundamentally improve the delivery of public service.
MOU Signing Of mPOD
During SPF Infocomm Technology (ICT) Seminar 2002 which was held at the New Phoenix Park Auditorium on 21st February, we saw the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for project mPOD between The Enterprise Challenge (TEC), Singapore Police Force (SPF), and Hewlett-Packard (HP). This pilot project, which is a joint effort between SPF, TEC and HP will be a test of mobile computing capabilities in the SPF. It will conduct trials on a secured wireless infrastructure, which serve as the foundation for future development of mobile computing. At a conservative estimate, Project mPOD will help the Force to save $300,000 on manpower.
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| The Enterprise Challenge - Electronic Police Centre |
With effect from 28 May 2002, public can lodge non-urgent Police reports or reports that do not require immediate Police action (such as Lost Property reports) on-line via the ePC. The ePC will serve as an additional Police service channel where public can access our services conveniently anytime and anywhere. This is in line with our Strategic Service Intent (SSI).
The public can access the ePC through the Spinet or e-Citizen web-site. Users will be required to provide their NRIC no. and date of birth as a form of authentication. As such, at this stage only Singapore citizens and permanent residents can use the ePC to lodge these reports. FIN (Foreign Identification Number) cardholders may be allowed to use the ePC at a later stage. We would also like to test the response from the public by allowing Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs) to use the system first.
All reports lodged via the ePC will be channelled to a central ePC Unit under Radio Division. The ePC Unit is co-located with the COR. EPC operators from 0800 hrs to 2300 hrs daily (on 2 shifts) man the ePC. At the ePC Unit, the reports will be read, classified, filed and/or referred to the right SPF unit (thru' the Div Filers) or external agency for follow-up. The ePC Unit will also forward an official copy of the Police report to the complainant for retention within 48 hours from the time the report was received.
Visit the website http://www.spf.gov.sg/epc/ if you want to find out more about the ePC. |
| Multimedia Messaging |
What's in Store for SPF?
On 8th of May 2002, SPF has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to set forth the general understanding between the parties (Ericsson, NCS, Cisco Security Pte Ltd, SingTel Mobile and iDA, as the initiator) to form a consortium to participate in the Mobile Work Force Call for Collaboration (CFC) program. The objective of this trial, is to bring a step closer for SPF to assess how MMS technology can help to enhance the security aspect of police operation.
Brief Outline of Trial: MMS - A Remote Monitoring Application
SPF plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and security of all residents in Singapore. One of the key strategic thrusts of SPF is to leverage on Infocomm Technology (ICT) to enhance its operational capability. Currently, there are technical solutions that support motion detection and trigger a SMS or pager alert to notify mobile users the possibility of a security breach. However, the text alert does not provide sufficient information to allow the mobile staff to assess the situation and take immediate action. As many of the Police operations are highly mobile, this makes the deployment of wireless technology to be a second nature to SPF. Thus in this trial, SPF hopes to explore the MMS remote monitoring solution to protect one of its ICT facilities. That is , Computer Centre at Police Cantonment Complex.
In this project, the consortium will extend the remote monitoring notification method to make use of the Multimedia Messaging (MMS) technology, so that the mobile users will be able to view the images captured by surveillance cameras at his/her mobile phone.
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| National Infocomm Awards
Automated Vehicle Screening System |
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 The National Infocomm Awards is the highest industry accolade for Infocomm innovation in Singapore. Jointly organised by the IDA, ec.Think and CommerceNet Singapore, the Awards aims to provide a platform for promoting and recognising the innovative development and adoption of infocomm technologies by companies based in Singapore. The Award winners will be the ambassadors for Singapore in the global Infocomm arena and their brand names synonymous with outstanding Singapore Infocomm companies. Of the original 347 nominations received, 229 were for Most Innovative Infocomm Product/Service and 118 were for Most Innovative Use of Infocomm Technology.
SPF – one of the finalists in the ‘most innovative use of technology’ category
SPF's Automated Vehicle Screening System (AVSS) was a finalist in the "Most Innovative Use of Technology" category of the National Infocomm Awards Ceremony/Dinner held at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia. Present as the Guest-of-Honour was Mr David Lim, Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts and Senior Minister of State for Defence. Although the Supreme Court and Fuji Photo Film (Singapore) Pte Ltd clinched the awards, the AVSS’s entry into the finals is testament enough to a very laudable effort by our officers to integrate new technology into operational processes. Representing the SPF to receive a token of appreciation from the Guest-of-Honour was DSP Stephen Teng, Deputy Director of the Police Technology Department. Commissioner Khoo Boon Hui and Deputy Commissioner Goh Liang Kwang were also present at the Gala Dinner. |
| CIO Asia Award |
The CIO 100 and CIO Awards is an annual programme run by CIO Asia that recognises innovation and best practices among Asian businesses. The CIO 100 is a yearly listing of 100 organisations in the region who have added the most value to their organisations through the strategic, innovative and creative use of IT. CIO 100 honourees are chosen by a panel of judges comprising the CIO Asia editorial team, and leading business academics and analysts.
Each year, from the CIO 100, a few organisations are further selected to receive CIO Awards. This prestigious Award programme places organisations-both public and private-among an elite crop of outstanding performers. SPF is proud to be one of the five winners of the CIO Award this year with PTD playing a major role.
Below is an extract of the article which appeared in the January 2003 issue of CIO Asia.
For the full article, please visit the CIO Asia website.
" Spearheading the development and implementation of technology to meet the operational needs of the force is the 240-strong Police Technology Department, made up of both police and civilian experts. With a budget of US$53 million last year, it is this department which looks at how information communications (ICT) technology can be applied to enable the Singapore Police Force to better protect the public.
Says the former department's director, Assistant Commissioner of Police Soh Kee Hean: "ICT is not something that is treated as secondary, or 'nice to have', in the SPF. It is an important strategic tool to achieving excellence in policing. We can't afford to think short-term. If we are not up to date with our technology, then we won't be able to deliver to the operational needs of the SPF."
Two innovative policing solutions, and the infrastructure linking and supporting these, bagged a CIO Award for the SPF this year. They are the Criminal Record Office System (CROSS) and the Automated Fingerprint Identification System 2 (or AFIS2), as well as the infrastructure linking and supporting their operations. In all, the initiatives cost the department US$11.9 million and involved a project team of about 11."
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