Digital-Governance in Policing: A Way Forward towards Administrative Change

Introduction
Police administration is an important part of administration and needs reform like any other. Withth
e changing times and needs, the world has chosen technology development to save time and resour
ces and increase efficiency (Singh & Sehgal, 2021, p. 30). The idea of using social media in police
is not new. Social media has long been a tool utilized by Western nations like the United States and
the United Kingdom for law enforcement. Additionally, the development of e-governance had an
impact on how services were delivered in several industries. In the modern world, e-Governance
initiatives are having a different impact on the police subculture in developing nations like India. The
purpose of government is to serve its people. The World Bank defines e-Governance as the
application of information technology, such as wide area networks, the internet, and mobile
computing, to relationships with both citizens and enterprises. It works as an additional branch of the
government to improve service efficacy, cost effectiveness, service delivery timeliness, and the
development of a nation free of corruption. The transition from minimal government to maximum
governance has been facilitated in large part by e-Governance. On the one hand, it has aided the
government in boosting access, equity, and social empowerment while also raising transparency,
improving citizen response, and cutting costs. One of the main focuses of e-Government is police
administration, which is essential to ensuring that those in need may easily and effectively access
police services through a variety of e-police applications and to reduce the rising crime rate. The
government is putting more emphasis on e-police in an effort to cut down on abuses and enhance
services so that the police can function more effectively. In order to give a solution in the context of
law and order, the idea's core now attempts to assure technology and raise awareness.
In terms of payroll and account management, e-government is crucial to how police departments
operate administratively. By using such a system, handling and compliance costs can be
decreased. It is the process of utilising information technology to lessen both the internal and
external workload of the government. Internally, computerization decreases labour costs and time
commitments, assisting government agencies in becoming more effective. Externally, automation
of citizen contacts lessens employee and citizen stress, adding value to the economy. It is a
department of government that aims to improve citizen interactions. E-Government aids in
lowering staff workloads, pressure, and stress levels across all industries. In the same way, it
supports police forces as well. E-governance in policing achieves a number of goals and objectives
and is used to increase awareness, information, and service delivery to the public through a system
for registering complaints.
The India Justice Report (IJR) 2020, supported by Tata Trusts, has looked at the e-portals of various
state police organisations that provide citizen-centric services, such as requests for the issuance or
 renewal of various NOCs, requests for the verification of employees, employment, passport, senior
citizen registrations, and the ability for citizens to download necessary forms. The Ministry of Home
Affairs (MHA) has allocated over Rs 20,000 crore for initiatives including the crime and criminal
tracking networks and system (CCTNS), police wireless, and e-prisons for the modernization of the
police (2017-2020). States are able to use this crucial way of service delivery.
Both busy citizens and overworked beat and police station staff can benefit from e-governance. User-
friendly citizen portals have completely changed how passports and driving licences are obtained.
Police started the new millennium off strong, but it's likely that they gradually lost interest. There are
two elements at work. Citizens fail to understand the difficulties that people face at the police station
level in addition to failing to hold us accountable for not employing technology. This has to change.
(e- Governance, n.d.)

E-Governance
E-governance is the practise of using information technology to automate both the internal workings
of the government and its contacts with the public and other organisations. Internal activities that are
computerised are more efficient and less expensive, and they also go more quickly. This allows for
more complex government processes. Automation of contacts with citizens lowers administrative
costs for both the public sector and its constituents, generating benefits for the economy. Any state's
police force is essential to keeping things in order and sustaining law and order. High levels of citizen
and government contact occur there. Major points related to Police Departments are as follows:-

Commissions
Political

Government

Judiciary Police Department Citizens

Source- https://academicjournals.org/article/article1381231579_Shastri%20et%20al.pdf

Research Methodology
The main goal of the study is to assess how digital governance has been implemented in police
administration, with a particular emphasis on its accessibility and public benefits. The study
combines analytical and descriptive components. The materials used were both primary and
secondary. Researchers have used an random sampling method to obtain primary data. 100 police
officers—including all ranks of district police—and 100 individuals make up the sample. With the
technique of a questionnaire, the data was acquired. Examples of secondary sources include books,
the internet, newspapers, journals, and research papers.

Significance
Digital-Governance in Policing: A Way Forward towards Administrative Change is the title of the
current study. The Punjab Police's previous organisational structure was purely paper-based. During
the time, there was no Internet. Governance is a phenomenon that first appeared in an effort to
increase effectiveness and decrease corruption. We advanced in the direction of good governance
over time. In order to achieve the goal of good governance, we are moving towards e-Government,
which not only saves time and money but also helps to improve overall performance. In an effort to
establish quick and effective justice that not only punishes offenders and wrongdoers but also deters
crime, the Indian Police finally started providing services to the general public under the e-
Government banner after multiple failed attempts. That will be advantageous in increasing public
understanding of the law. The public and police officers will both gain from the Indian government's
adoption of e-Governance at each police station. It is vital to look at the difficulties Indian police
personnel face and offer suggestions for remedies. So, the current work is crucial.

Mobile based Applications by Police Department

As a topic and a complement to e-government, mobile government (m-government) is another
crucial area that is gaining steam. The Punjab Government has created a large number of mobile-
based applications in order to give services to the people. It consists of PP Saanjh, PAIS, Know
Your Police, and Shakti.
With the help of the PAIS application the Punjab Artificial Intelligence System, Punjab police
were able to digitise criminal records, automate criminal searches, and perform numerous essential
analyses right away. PAIS was able to instantly obtain criminal information from records using
features like facial recognition. Innovative tools like gang analysis, phonetic search, and others
help police officers even more. The PAIS has a comprehensive digital database of over 90,000
criminals as of today and has assisted the state police in apprehending more than 100 criminals.
(Ujaley, 2018). Many IT-savvy young police officers took and are taking keen interest in using IT
for improving internal efficiency, management control and delivery of services (“Punjab Police
nab 2 criminals using face recognition app”, 2020)

The Punjab Police has introduced the "Shakti" mobile application, thereby placing the "power"
in the hands of the populace to defend themselves. The software, which was created specifically
for women, aims to assist victims at difficult times like snatching, robberies, or other criminal
activities. The Punjab police would be at your disposal after you downloaded the app, which is
accessible for both android-based mobile phones and i-phones, registered yourself, and submitted
it. The "help" button on the "Shakti" app sends a one-touch alert to the Punjab police as well as
the user's family and friends. "The location data is sent to the Punjab Police control room and their
specified numbers as soon as the user of the Shakti app raises the SOS alert from this app. The
victim can then quickly receive the closest Police assistance from Punjab Police. (Malik, 2017).

The Know Your Police app. Now, all it takes is a single click on your smartphone to acquire
information on the Punjab police. The police are promoting an app called Know Your Police as
part of the Saanjh (cooperation) project, which is made possible by the recent push to enter the
online world. This app contains details about the closest police stations, local officials posted there
at all levels, from station house officers (SHO) to inspector general of police (IGP), as well as the
Saanjh Kendras (police service centres). (Vasudeva, 2018).

Saanjh App- Through Sub-Division Saanjh Kendras and Police Station Saanjh Kendras, police
and the community are working together to bring philosophy to the local level. It was started with
the intention of making the Punjab Police's services widely accessible to the general public. The
general public can report theft and other complaints on this app, and in addition, information about
vehicle untraced copies, police clearances, NOCs, complaint statuses, tenant verifications,
passport statuses, information about stolen vehicles, details about missing people, and information
about unclaimed vehicles can be provided on mobile devices. (“Saanjh App launched by police in
city”, 2018).

Punjab Police Khidmat

This application offers comprehensive details (fees, office locations, necessary paperwork, online
booking, etc.) about 14 services provided by Punjab Police to the public at freshly opened Police
Khidmat Markaz (offices) around Punjab. The services provided such as character certification,
general police verification, learner driving license, driving license renewal, international driving
license, duplicate driving license, endorsement of a license, employee registration, tenants
registration, vehicle verification, loss report, crime report, women violence report, copy of FIR.
(Punjab, n.d.).

Major e-Governance Initiatives

State governments have developed a roadmap for implementing IT and providing services to
residents online, among other creative measures to enhance e-Government. The following list
contains major e-governance efforts:
• Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS)

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) conceptualised and funded the Crime and Criminal
Tracking Network and System (CCTNS) as a Mission Mode Project with the goal of improving
crime investigation and criminal tracking outcomes as well as the effectiveness and efficiency of
police departments across all states.

Purpose of CCTNS:

• Quick and easy generation of reports and records.

• Significant reduction in manual records/register maintenance at Police Stations

• Elimination of duplicate and inconsistent record keeping.

• Ability to easily access crime and criminal records for providing information to
investigation and prosecution functions.
• Centralized crime and criminal information repository along with criminal images and
fingerprints with advanced search capabilities.
• Enhanced ability to analyze crime patterns and/ or modus operandi

The Indian government uses the PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation)
method to monitor the CCTNS Project on a monthly basis to ensure that it is being implemented
effectively in all of the States and UTs.

• Talash: This is used for punching and storing the data of missing persons /
unidentified dead bodies.

• Portrait building:This application is used to prepare sketches of suspected

criminals.

• Payroll/GPF:It is used to prepare the pay rolls / GPF statements of police

personnel

• Identity card system:This is used for preparing the identity cards of police
officials / officers (Punjab Police, n.d.).

Punjab Social Media Cell

In the digital age, social networking is becoming more friendly and accessible. The Punjab Police
Social Media Cell was founded in 2018 as a component of neighbourhood policing. In order to
promptly address public issues and provide accurate information to the public, the main objective of
social media was to create a communication channel between the police and the general public.
Through these websites, people can maintain a digital connection with Punjab Police for information.
Additionally active on social media, the 24 police districts have their own official Twitter and
Facebook accounts.

Social Media Handles of Punjab Police

Social Name of Followers Link/Source

Media Account
Platforms
Twitter Punjab Police 210.2K https://twitter.com/PunjabPoliceInd?ref_src=twsrc%
India 5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
DGP Punjab 227.2K https://twitter.com/DGPPunjabPolice
Police
Facebook Punjab Police 493K https://www.facebook.com/PunjabPoliceIndia/
India
Instagram Punjab Police 48.5K https://instagram.com/punjabpoliceind?igshid=13agj
India dx0c7tc8
Telegram Punjab Police 14.5K https://t.me/punjabpoliceindia
India

*Retrieved on 10/02/2023 at 8.30 pm.

Analysis of Police Personnel (On the basis of Questionnaire Method)

Designation of respondents
According to the study, a sample of 01 Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), 07 Deputy
Superintendent of Police (DSP), 07 Inspector (I), 07 Sub-Inspector (SI), 07 Assistant Sub-
Inspector (ASI), 07 Head Constable (HC) and 14 Constable (C) were selected.
Table 1.1

Level of Awareness regarding e-Governance in Policing

 Responses SSP DSP I SI ASI HC C Total Percentage

Fully Aware 1 6 7 6 5 4 9 38 76%

Partially Aware 1 1 2 2 2 8 16%

Little Aware 1 2 3 6%

Not Aware 1 1 2%

Total 1 7 7 7 7 7 14 50 100%

When asked how much they were aware of e-Governance in police, the respondents' responses
revealed that 76% were totally informed, 16% were moderately knowledgeable, 6% were only
slightly aware, and surprisingly, only 1 respondent was not aware of the topic.

Table 1.2

What is the source of knowledge on e-governance in law enforcement?

Responses SSP DSP I SI ASI HC C Total Percentage

In Schedule work 1 2 4 6 7 8 28 56 %

In Official Training 1 4 3 1 4 13 26 %

From higher Officials 2 2 2 1 2 9 18 %

Total 1 7 7 7 7 7 14 50 100%

In response to a question about where they first learned about e-Governance in policing, 56% of
respondents said they learned about it while doing their schedule work, 26% said they learned
about it through official training, and 18% said they learned about it from higher officials.

Table 1.3

Are you aware about the services given by e-Governance applications?

Responses SSP DSP I SI ASI HC C Total Percentage

Yes 1 7 7 5 3 4 7 34 68 %
 No 2 4 3 7 16 32 %

Total 1 7 7 7 7 7 14 50 100%

This table displays how well-informed police officers are about the services offered by e-governance
applications. It was discovered that 32% of respondents were uninformed of the services provided
by e-Government programmes, whereas 68% of respondents were aware of them.

Table 1.4

Are you aware about Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System?

Responses SSP DSP I SI ASI HC C Total Percentage

Yes 1 7 7 7 6 5 12 45 90 %

No 1 2 2 5 10 %

Total 1 7 7 7 7 7 14 50 100%

This table displays respondents' knowledge of CCTNS, which attempts to digitise criminal
records. It's interesting to note that 90% of respondents knew about the CCTNS, compared to 10%
who didn't.

Analysis of Citizens (On the basis of Questionnaire Method)

Gender of Respondents

There were 67 % of respondents who were male, 33% of respondents were female and there
were no transgender respondent.

Table 2.1.1

Do you know about the online system for registering complaints?

Responses No. Of Respondents Percentage

Yes 36 72 %
 No 14 28 %

Total 50 100%

The table reveals that while 28% of respondents were unaware of the online complaint registration
method, the majority of respondents (72%) were.

Table 2.1.2

Have you ever registered a Complaint Online?

Responses No. Of Respondents Percentage

Yes 22 61.11%
No 14 38.89%
Total 36 100%

This table demonstrates that, of the 36 respondents who were aware of the online complaint
registration mechanism, only 61.11% have ever submitted a complaint online, while 38.89% have
never done so.

Table 2.2

Do you believe that the use of e-Governance has made police more approachable?

Response No. Of Respondents Percentage

Yes 35 70
No 8 16
May be 7 14
Total 50 100%

According to the data in this table, 70% of respondents believe that the deployment of e-
Governance has made police more approachable to the public, while 7% of respondents were
unsure. Only 8% of those polled claimed that its adoption had not resulted in police becoming
friendlier to civilians.

Major Findings of the Study

 1. It is crucial to be informed of e-Governance in order to make the most of it. In this regard,
the study found that the majority (76%) of police officers were completely aware of the
phrase "e-Governance in policing," whereas only 2% of officers were not.
2. The administration will not be successful in delivering services to the public at their door
without knowledge of mobile-based applications. According to the results, (68%) of police
officers are aware of the mobile-based applications that the Punjab Government has
developed to offer services to its citizens.
3. According to the survey, most police officers (90%) were aware of the Crime and Criminal
Tracking Network & System (CCTNS), which was developed with the aim of improving
police performance through e-Governance.
4. 4. Online complaint submission is another function offered by e-government in policing.
In this regard, the majority of citizens (72%) were found to be aware of the mechanism for
registering complaints online, and of those, 61.11% had ever done so.
5. Due to increased communication and accessibility, e-Government in policing also aimed to
improve the conduct of police and strengthen interpersonal relationships with citizens.
According to the report, 70% of the populace believes that e-Governance has improved police
accessibility.

Suggestions
The current study demonstrates that, despite the Punjab Police's efforts to improve performance in
the state of Punjab through quick crime detection and prevention, the police force still has several
flaws and limitations that require immediate change. The researchers have provided the following
recommendations based on the study's findings that should be taken into account to enhance Punjab
Police operations and ensure the success of e-Governance.

1. The work should be done manually or through e-Governance, but the police department
is currently duplicating it by completing work both ways, which places an ethical duty
on the personnel. Additionally, it takes up time that, if spared, may be used for other
tasks.
2. As was previously highlighted regarding the advantages of PAIS, Police Administration
should concentrate on boosting its registration among the police employees for optimal
use of this application in Crime detection, prevention, and arresting offenders.
3. Citizens should have access to an online and mobile application-based grievance
redressal system that is based on the Police Complaint Authority (PCA). Police need to
be more watchful and have quick response systems.
4. Despite the fact that the police are already making efforts to increase public awareness
of e-Government through the media or social media. However, more initiatives using a
variety of techniques should be made to ensure that the general public has access to all
of the information on e-governance services.
5. To improve the perception of law enforcement organisations, police personnel are urged
to interact with the public on social media.
6. Although many services are offered via mobile applications, such as PPSaanjh, there is
no proper way to submit feedback on the services. There should be an online feedback
mechanism, which is crucial for improving functionality by closing any gaps.
7. More social media education is necessary for law enforcement personnel. We must
therefore train more police detectives in the proper use of websites. Officers should
receive training on how to gather information from social media platforms and guidance
on how to legally and ethically obtain evidence from these websites from an investigative
standpoint.
8. Data is extremely important in the twenty-first century, and when it comes to data
related to policing, there is no risk because the data cannot be compromised. Therefore,
accurate and effective software must be there to keep the data safe, secure, and out of
the hands of hackers or cybercriminals.
9. Departments should create and implement detailed written policies for the use of social
media and text messaging. A solid policy should clearly outline the rules for using
social media and text messaging, as well as how these interactions will be recorded.
10. Despite improvements in police behaviour towards civilians following the
implementation of e-governance in policing, there is still a need to make officers more
approachable by imparting the concepts of ethics, tolerance, and compassion.
11. There is a need of proper training for the police personnel regarding the usage of e-
governance and its applications.
12. In order to move towards a sustainable future, emphasis should be placed on reducing
the use of paper by emphasising the use of e-mails, which should be used to the fullest
extent possible in place of paper.
13. To provide helpdesk facility to the citizens.
14. To make greater use of online services, Punjab Police should observe how Chandigarh
Police operate.
15. Scanning of all previous records of all police stations, prisons, traffic police stations etc.,
collecting the citizen’s data and entry the data into databases.
16. Establishment of Cyber Crime Detection Cell and developing harmonious cyber laws/
regulatory framework as early as possible.
Conclusion
With the development of technology, e-governance has also broadened its application in the
form of m-governance, which is quickly rising to the top of the people' priorities for service
delivery. Mobile technology has given society as a whole a solid foundation for equitable
progress and has been an effective medium for a more connected society. Social media is
currently being utilised as a platform for citizens to interact with the government and participate
in political processes, social reforms, and financial inclusion. With the use of e-Government,
developing nations can improve themselves in numerous ways. E-governance has undoubtedly
had an impact on practically every industry. Similar to this, its impact on policing is enormous
and unquestionable. It has enhanced the way services are delivered and even the way that police
is done in particular. Without the confluence of e-governance with other administratively
significant factors in the era of information and technology, survival and good administration
are impossible. Even in the recent ten years, significant advancements in the form of reforms
have been made in order to start the transition to e-policing. However, there is still a pressing
need to concentrate on important issues related to the operation of e-policing, since doing so
would improve policing, governance procedures, and in particular, our society. With the aid of
government-citizen interfaces and bringing transparency to government working, e-
government has the potential to provide enormous benefits to the population if it is executed
properly.
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