Bengaluru, Aug 7
The Karnataka government is planning to establish the Karnataka Urban Policing Innovation Centre (KUPIC) to equip police forces in the State’s rapidly growing cities with advanced technology and research-driven solutions, Home Minister Priyank Kharge has said.
The proposed centre will serve as a dedicated hub for developing and testing innovative policing solutions, with a focus on crime prevention, traffic management, surveillance and public safety.
The framework for KUPIC was discussed at a review meeting chaired by Kharge and attended by senior police officers and members of expert advisory groups. The meeting examined the proposed centre’s structure, research priorities and mechanisms for integrating new technologies into routine policing.
Kharge said rapid urbanisation had transformed the challenges faced by police forces, with expanding populations, changing crime patterns, increasing traffic congestion and emerging public safety concerns demanding a more technology-driven approach.
KUPIC will focus on research, innovation and technology development to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of urban policing. Artificial Intelligence, data analytics, smart surveillance systems and digital platforms are expected to be among the technologies explored by the centre.
The government believes such tools could help police analyse large volumes of information, identify crime trends, strengthen preventive policing and support evidence-based decision-making.
Smart surveillance and technology-enabled traffic management will be among the centre’s priority areas. It will also explore solutions for tackling new forms of crime and other policing challenges associated with rapidly expanding urban centres.
Kharge said technological innovation should become a continuous and institutionalised part of policing rather than being introduced only in response to individual problems.
“Our cities are continuously expanding and evolving. The policing system must modernise accordingly,” he said.
The proposed centre is ultimately aimed at creating a modern urban policing model that combines technology, research and innovation with greater efficiency and responsiveness while keeping citizens at the centre of policing.
