Using technology fearlessly and in right direction can take policing to next level: Fadnavis

Mumbai, Sep 20 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said using technology, which he compared to a horse, in the right direction and in a fearless manner can take policing to the next level.

Addressing an event of the Indian Police Foundation at the Maharashtra Police Headquarters in south Mumbai, he stressed the need to rejig the police force from time to time to bring in agility, amid a rise in white collar and digital crimes.

“Technology is like a horse. It is the horse rider who decides the destination. If we use technology by taking it in the right direction, fearlessly and in the right manner, then I think we can take policing to the next stage,” Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, said.

“While we speak about embracing new technology, we also have several questions in our minds, just like when computers were introduced. At that time, we had questions – whether it would affect employment, and if many would lose jobs,” he said.

Despite the apprehension, there was a boom in the information technology sector, and the contribution of Indians in Silicon Valley was tremendous, he said.

A similar situation has arisen with the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and people have a lot of questions, the CM said.

The world is changing rapidly. Twenty years ago, when it was said that street crimes would come down and white collar crimes would go up in future, it was considered a 'jumla' (rhetoric). "But we are now moving in that direction," he said.

Fadnavis said street crime is no longer a big challenge for law-enforcers, but white collar crime and cybercrime are.

“We brought in a new organisational structure in the police force in 2023, which was done after 53 years. In those 53 years, many police tasks, which were considered less important earlier, became most important,” said the chief minister.

The organisational structure of the police force should be changed from time to time to give agility to the force. There is no need to overhaul it, but one has to think of making improvements, he said.

The Maharashtra police force has created a cybersecurity lab, which is the most progressive cybersecurity centre in the country, he said, highlighting the state's efforts to tackle digital crimes.

“I feel glad to share that at least four countries approached us and one of them has given us an offer letter to set up a similar kind of cybersecurity centre back home,” he said.

“Our people have developed the capability to create such marvels. We were the first to use AI tools in policing, which brought in more efficiency, helping us innovatively solve many difficult cases,” he said.

Integrating new systems into policing is also important, but many times it faces resistance. While embracing new technologies, one should not leave behind the old system as it has its own importance, he said.

“No financial superpower in the world can thrive without the support of law and order, and if it does so, it cannot be sustainable. We have seen ‘mafia raj’ helped create some prosperous societies, but those were never sustainable and declined rapidly,” he said.

Criminal elements are part of a society, and it is the responsibility of the state to control them. That’s why law enforcement systems are created, he said.

Referring to the Constitution, Fadnavis said Dr B R Ambedkar created a beautiful system with checks and balances.

Many times, people level allegations that there is an interference in the police force and it is being politicised. To insulate the force from all such things, the system of checks and balances helps, he said.

“Many former officers, who are present here today, have done transformative reforms in the police force. They did not get a new constitution or laws, but they studied the available system and based on that, they made transformative reforms,” he said.

“We have the system, but how we use that system is more important,” he said.

Director General of Police Rashmi Shukla, Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, and Chairman of Indian Police Foundation R S Mooshahary were among the officials who attended the event. PTI DC NP NR