Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee (right) takes a closer look at the apps from the Singapore Police Force.

Fighting crime from your iPhone? Thanks to Police@SG, a new iPhone application, it is neither a dream nor a mobile phone game.

Police@SG was launched at the Enjoying a Digital Lifestyle outreach event at Toa Payoh Hub from 21 to 23 October 2011. Organised by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and National Family Council (NFC), the event featured more than 25 innovative community apps and online services.

Speaking at its opening, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, Chairman of the Home Team Volunteers Network, noted that Singaporeans are increasingly embracing a digital lifestyle. He cited IDA’s Survey on Infocomm Usage in Households and By Individuals for 2010, which showed that 34 per cent of Singapore residents aged seven years and above reported smartphone usage. “So the Revolution is upon us,” he said, brandishing his
own iPhone.

“These apps and services highlight the effectiveness of infocomm as a tool to engage the community and to enable Singaporeans to enjoy a more sophisticated digital lifestyle,” he said of the apps on display, predicting that “we will see more apps and services emerge as people and public sector organisations ramp up collaborative efforts to exploit infocomm and spread its benefits to the wider community”.

Police@SG, which is downloadable from iTunes, allows users to access a Crime Info Map which features preventable crimes such as robbery, and view crime statistics in their neighbourhood.

There is a Missing Persons section, with information about those reported missing, a Police Station Locator, which comes with a map showing the user’s location in relation to the nearest police stations, and a police appeals section, which asks for information and witnesses to assist with cases under investigation.

Mindful that the public might not actually know who to call about various issues, Police@SG also offers a section on Useful Numbers, featuring the contacts of various agencies the public might need, and a description of what
they handle.

For example, if a neighbour’s air-conditioner casing is corroded and leaking, the app will advise a home owner to report it to HDB, and also provide the contact number so the home owner can simply hit the call button.

Police@SG was first mooted at the end of 2010, and took about eight months to construct. “We are constantly looking for avenues to reach out to the community to fight crime,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Leo Tan, Head of SPF’s New Media Division. “Over the years, we have ventured into new media like Facebook and Twitter. Having an iPhone app is a natural extension of that. A lot of Singaporeans are using iPhones, so we went in there first, but we are also looking at other platforms, like Android.”

Another new app showcased by the Police at the Enjoying a Digital Lifestyle event was PoliceLife@SG, which chronicles key developments in the Force and disseminates information of interest to its officers and strategic partners. It includes photos, audio, videos and external links to content on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Besides the Police, NFC also showcased the potential of IT for family bonding with apps such as “Family Fun” and “We Welcome Families” that allow users to locate family-friendly establishments. IDA had on display several community outreach applications including the i-Service mobile app which connects residents to Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council, and the My Central mobile app by the Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC), which enables the organisation to reach out to its 900,000 constituents with details of various activities, assistance schemes and other resources.