Harnessing the power of AI

Taking a statement can be a time-consuming process, but the advent of Speech-to-Text (STT) software powered by artificial intelligence (AI) might offer a promising solution to allow police officers to automate transcription tasks.

Among those exploring this technology for the Singapore Police Force (SPF) is Aloysius Tan, Head of Cognitive Analytics, Cognitive Computing at HTX’s xData division. In his role, Aloysius leads a team of AI scientists focusing on language-related AI developments and specialises in using AI techniques to transcribe speech using STT, which is currently being explored for radio communications, and even emergency calls to 999.

This technology is also currently being trialled in transcribing Video Recording of Interviews (VRIs). VRI is resource-intensive and transcripts are currently manually prepared in VRI to facilitate investigation and court processes. If successful, STT would help augment the manual transcription process.

Making an officer’s job more efficient

“Our Home Team officers need to process a lot of information in the course of their work, and they sometimes need to go through a mound of documents just to fish out relevant insights. The work we do helps to automate such tasks. STT, for example, could be used pick up discrepancies in accounts and help summarise statements,” said Aloysius, who is also exploring this technology for use with the Singapore Prison Service to improve efficiency.

Having previously worked in banking and research, Aloysius joined HTX to explore the world of STT models, something he has always been interested in.

One of his latest projects with the SPF has been to help people report crimes more accurately with the use of a smart bot that can ask questions to get more details from victims.

“Online reporting is a convenient and valuable tool for the public, however, there is always room for improvement. For example, in some cases, reports may lack detailed context, such as the amount of money involved and who initiated the transfer. This sometimes resulted in follow-ups with complainant to clarify some details. This is why we are exploring this bot to ask questions that would likely yield details that might be missing from the report needed to solve the crime,” he said.

A job he enjoys

One aspect of working at HTX that Aloysius enjoys is the multitude of opportunities to work with new technologies. He pointed out that the agency is “very open to trying new things” and that this approach has been pivotal to it developing numerous innovations over the last five years that have empowered Home Team operations and made Singapore safer and more secure.

Aloysius also enjoys passing down his knowledge to the younger generation, something he gets to do with HTX interns and special engagements that see him and his colleagues help university students with their final year projects.

“I find it very rewarding to be able to build a relationship with young STEM talent and show them how we augment the Home Team and make a difference in society,” he said. “The fact that they eventually decide to join HTX is an affirmation of our efforts to shape young minds as well as a testament to our agency’s vibrant working culture.”

In fact, Aloysius was given another avenue to share his expertise when he was promoted to a leadership role in May 2023. Being the head of his department, he said, has been a meaningful and enlightening one so far as he has had to undergo leadership courses aimed at helping him grow as a manager.

The thing he loves the most about HTX? Being challenged all the time.

“We don’t always have the answers, and the path forward is not often clear cut,” he said. “But this is exactly why it is exciting to work here. If you enjoy challenges and are comfortable in uncertain spaces, then HTX offers you the opportunity to thrive and really make a difference at the same time!”

While HTX is positioned as a science and tech agency, it doesn’t just need tech talent, Aloysius added.

“We need people with all kinds of talents," he quipped.

“Take my team, for instance. As we deal with language, it’s important for us to have people skilled in linguistics, too. So if you’re passionate about making a difference, do check out the jobs we have to offer!”