Hyderabad Telangana Police Turn To AI For Smarter Policing
Hyderabad: Telangana Police are expanding the use of artificial intelligence, drones and digital platforms to improve investigations, strengthen emergency response and enable faster sharing of information across the policing system.
The department is upgrading technologies including CCTNS and TGCOP while developing new AI-enabled tools to support investigators. Officials said the technology push is aimed at reducing the workload of field-level personnel and giving them quicker access to relevant information. The Dial-112 emergency response system is also being strengthened with AI-based call transcription and automated dispatch. When a distress call is received, the system can convert the conversation into text, identify the caller’s location and send the information to the concerned response team. Officials said the dispatch process can take less than a minute. The system can also coordinate responses involving police, fire services, disaster management, women’s safety and child protection agencies.
Drones are emerging as another important part of the technology upgrade. Five drones are currently under Dial-112 and can be deployed during law-and-order situations, major incidents and road emergencies. Live aerial feeds can help officials assess situations and decide whether additional personnel or resources are required. The police are also developing an in-house drone training facility at Kompally. Selected personnel from different police stations will receive training and certification, reducing dependence on external agencies as drone usage expands. AI-based video analytics are being used at junctions, bus stands and railway stations to analyse CCTV feeds and identify suspicious persons or vehicles. Police officials said the technology has also helped trace stolen vehicles detected through surveillance cameras. A new T-SPARK wing has been created to identify AI-based technologies and software that can be adopted across policing operations. Upcoming CCTNS 3.0 modules are expected to provide investigators with guidance on legal procedures based on the nature of an offence.
The system is being developed using previous court orders and other legal material. Officials believe this could help investigators avoid procedural errors, particularly in cases involving laws such as the POCSO Act and cases involving children in conflict with the law. Technology is also being used to address language barriers. Hyderabad Police are implementing an AI Cop Writer tool that can convert oral statements given by complainants or witnesses in regional languages into English, helping them submit statements for FIR registration. The department is further working towards linking police, prison and court information systems. Under upcoming TGCOP upgrades, police personnel could access information about accused persons, including bail status and pending cases, through their mobile devices. Time-bound digital record keeping is another focus. FIRs and other investigation documents will have to be uploaded within prescribed deadlines, with the system designed to prevent delayed or unauthorised changes to records. For Telangana, the technology expansion represents a broader shift towards data-driven policing. The effectiveness of these systems, however, will depend on reliable data, proper training, cybersecurity and continued human oversight.
