ROURKELA: The Rourkela police has transitioned from reactive policing to predictive policing model with the launch of Project SHIELD (Smart Habitual-offender Intelligence & Early Law-enforcement Detection) on Wednesday.
Developed by NIT-Rourkela, Project SHIELD integrates AI, data analytics and field intelligence to move policing from a reactive model (responding after crime occurrence) to a predictive model (anticipating and preventing crime before it happens). It is built on the foundations of e-beat patrolling, habitual offender (HO) database and suspect predictor algorithm (SPA).
Reliable sources informed that the recently launched e-beat patrolling is a GPS-enabled system to ensure patrol accountability and real-time visibility of beat officers. The HO database contains a structured repository of repeat offenders, integrated with jail release records, modus operandi and cross-district intelligence.
Similarly, the SPA is an AI-powered risk assessment system, consisting of HO risk score, AI-based crime mapping, jail release data, AI-enabled CCTVs for facial recognition proximity alerts, vehicle data alerts (ANPR & Vaahan) and field intelligence inputs.
DIG (western range) Brijesh Kumar Rai said, “Project SHIELD is a shift from intuition-led policing to data-driven crime prevention. The system allows live monitoring of crime hotspots and with anticipation of offending patterns, police action could be directed in time to prevent occurrence of crimes.”
Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani said the smart policing initiative underscores Rourkela police’s commitment to preventing crimes and apprehending criminals. He said information on 187 HOs has already been integrated into the predictive policing system, with a target to expand this to 1,000 by the end of 2025. Data on HOs from nearby districts and adjacent police stations in Jharkhand will also be incorporated into the system, he added.
The launching ceremony of Project SHIELD was attended by the DIG, SP and NIT-R director Prof K Umamaheshwar Rao.