Ho Outlines Enhanced Security Measures with New Tech and Additional Resources in Taipei County

To demonstrate its unwavering commitment to law and order and its determination to suppress illicit activities, the New Taipei City Government Police Bureau hosted a project outcome and commendation ceremony, "Guarding the City and Ensuring Public Safety." New Taipei City Mayor Hou Youyi attended the event and, in addition to publicly commending frontline police officers who successfully cracked major gang-related crimes and dismantled hidden community violence groups, delivered an important speech regarding the current changes in the law and order environment. Hou Youyi clearly stated that, in the face of increasingly innovative and hidden crimes conducted through the internet and technology, traditional investigative thought and tools are under tremendous pressure to transform. As such, the New Taipei City Government has allocated an additional NT$160 million in this year's budget for the purchase of advanced technological investigative equipment to comprehensively upgrade the technological law enforcement capabilities of frontline police officers.

The "Guarding the City and Ensuring Public Safety" project, promoted by the New Taipei City Police Bureau, aims to systematically combat major crimes such as gang violence, loan sharking, scam dens, and firearms smuggling within the city. In recent years, as organized crime has evolved, gang members have gradually abandoned their previous bold and violent tactics on the streets and instead have opted to disperse, using legitimate businesses as cover or employing virtual currencies and encrypted communication software for money laundering and crime coordination. This highly covert approach not only raises the threshold for judicial investigations but also poses a more profound threat to the safety of citizens' lives and property. Through this project, the police have successfully dismantled numerous cross-regional crime networks, demonstrating a strong and resolute stance against organized crime in New Taipei City.

At the event, Hou Youyi emphasized the importance of adapting to the changing crime landscape and the need for police officers to have the necessary tools to effectively combat high-tech crimes. He pointed out that New Taipei City, as the country's most populous administrative area, faces complex law and order challenges due to its vast territory, densely populated urban areas, and intersecting mountains and seas. To provide police officers with a stronger backing in their law enforcement efforts, the city government team has given its full support in allocating budget resources, allocating an additional NT$160 million in this year's budget directly for the purchase and updating of advanced high-tech equipment, including digital forensic analysis, big data analysis, drone surveillance, communication interception, and network patrols. The city government hopes to achieve this goal by shortening investigation times and improving case clearance rates.

This large-scale budget increase and technological law enforcement strategy reflect the comprehensive transformation of Taiwan's law enforcement agencies in the digital age. As artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things become increasingly widespread, organized crime groups are also accelerating their use of these technologies to conduct cross-border and anonymous illicit activities. Traditional investigative methods relying on human intelligence and manual surveillance often prove inadequate when faced with massive digital footprints and encrypted communication. By introducing modernized technological investigative equipment, the police can more efficiently sift through vast amounts of digital data to identify key suspects' whereabouts and financial transactions, not only significantly improving case clearance efficiency but also reducing the risk of injury or death to frontline police officers.

The New Taipei City Police Bureau's recent commendation ceremony not only serves to boost team morale and recognize the hard work of police officers but also sends a clear signal of the city government's commitment to suppressing organized crime. As the city government continues to provide resources and frontline police officers work tirelessly, New Taipei City's law and order defense network is moving towards a more intelligent and systematic direction. In the face of increasingly complex social law and order challenges, how to effectively utilize the NT$160 million in high-tech equipment scheduled to arrive in the future and maximize the use of advanced investigative tools will be a crucial test of the police's professional capabilities and a key foundation for ensuring public safety and well-being.