Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Outcomes From the Deployment of the Redesigned Neighbourhood Police Posts

Question:

Ms Sylvia Lim: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) whether the Ministry has studied the outcomes thus far from the deployment of the redesigned Neighbourhood Police Posts (NPPs) which are fully automated and unmanned; (b) whether there is evidence of a displacement of workload from such NPPs to other touchpoints like 999 calls or Neighbourhood Police Centres; and (c) what is the usage level of such NPPs by the public as compared to usage levels prior to the redesign.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law:

1.  Since 2013, the Police has been deploying self-help kiosks at Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs), and redesigning Neighbourhood Police Posts (NPPs) to be fully automated. The aim is to provide self-help options for Police services such as lodging of Police reports and submission of lost-and-found property. This is part of the Police’s efforts to leverage technology to improve operational efficiency, optimise resources, and better serve the community.

2. The outcomes have been good. For example, the proportion of the public who use self-help options, including the self-help kiosks at NPCs and NPPs and Police e-services, has steadily increased. The public has now also been able to access these services around the clock.

3. The Member asked whether there is evidence of a displacement of workload from redesigned NPPs to other touchpoints like ‘999’ calls or NPCs. Workload changes can be due to many reasons, and it is not possible to isolate increases or decreases in workload to just one factor.