01 March 2023, Quetta – UNODC, under the European Union funded Rule of Law Roadmap (RoLR) Balochistan, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to inaugurate Smart Police Stations. This intervention is a testament to UNODC’s commitment to work with the Government of Balochistan to making policing services more accessible, accountable and responsive to the people.
The RoLR is directed towards enabling the justice sector to perform their functions and duties in the most efficient and effective manner. Under the RoLR, the Balochistan Police was provided with technical, operational and infrastructure support, resulting in the planning and design of Smart Police Stations to assist the Balochistan Police in implementing digitalization of police processes and responses.
In the initial first phase, five police stations have been converted into Smart Police Stations including Police Station Airport, Police Station Quaidabad, Police Station Bijli Road, Police Station Kharotabad and Police Station Sariab. These Smart Police Stations are designed to provide better environment to the general public and to restore responsive, effective, and accountable local police service, that is accessible to both men and women. The strategy aims to maximize public satisfaction through effective and measurable performance management of different tiers of police, automation of police responses and processes.
Smart Police Stations offer a front facilitation desk, a gender desk and an improved roznamcha, head muharar and investigation offices. They are fully equipped with IT software solutions such as Police station Record Management System (PSRMS), Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS), Complaint Management System (CMS) and Criminal Record Management System (CRMS) etc. CCTV Cameras and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are also put in place. Special attention has been given to training the staff on public dealing, victim support, gender responsive and community policing. The services provided at the Smart Police Stations include learner driving license, license renewal, tenant registration, police verification etc.
Improved service delivery to the citizens is the cornerstone of the policing objectives under the RoLR. The RoLR was initially approved for four years (2018–2022) and expired in May 2022. A recent evaluation of the Roadmap was carried out to inform a revised RoLR to build on the trajectory for another four years (2023–2026) in order to consolidate, sustain, scale up, and institutionalize good practices, and data-informed approaches in the justice sector of Balochistan. The inaugurations of the Smart Police Stations and Police Khidmat Markaz mark one of the key objectives of the RoLR where digitized and well-equipped policing services have been pioneered for the people of Balochistan.
