Robotic dog plays officer: a public security tech expo held in China offers a glimpse of future policing

A robotic dog, cast in the role of a four-legged "officer," prowled the floor, designed to venture into hazardous areas ahead of humans, "sniffing out" toxic and harmful gases while keeping personnel out of hazards. Built for 24/7 operations across tough terrain, it can also team up with drones for coordinated ground-air missions.

Nearby, another robot, operated remotely by a human, demonstrated how it could reach into the rubble, locate an explosive device and carefully retrieve it — the kind of dangerous work that would otherwise put a person directly in harm's way.

For a moment, the exhibition offered a glimpse of what the future of policing might look like: fewer humans sent into danger, and more machines going first.

Moreover, an autonomous drone system offered a glimpse of how policing could take to the skies. The drones can take off and land on their own, conduct routine patrols and stream live video back to a command center. They can be deployed for tasks ranging from crowd and traffic monitoring to accident response and emergency warnings — essentially giving police a pair of eyes in the sky.

Such scenes were on display at the third public security technology and equipment expo which opened on Tuesday in Lianyungang, East China's Jiangsu Province. The five-day event, themed "empowered by technology, win-win cooperation," is hosted by the First Research Institute of the China's Ministry of Public Security.

Standing before an AI-powered system designed to assist police investigations, Sergeant Jerrold Morel of the Seychelles Police Force listened intently as an exhibitor walked him through its capabilities: real-time transcription, automatic identification of keywords that could prove relevant to an investigation, and one-click access to the corresponding audio so officers can quickly verify what was said.

The system also allows interrogations to be conducted remotely, with transcripts generated in a format compliant with national standards.

For Sergeant Morel, the technology offered more than a glimpse of new police equipment. It was also a chance to see whether some of the practices on display in China could be adapted back home.

"Maybe there are certain ways of processing information or handling evidence that are done differently here that can help us back home," Morel told the Global Times. He pointed to case management, the questioning of suspects and police safety as areas where Seychelles could learn from new approaches and technologies.

"We're looking at how we can improve, looking at innovation," he said.

Morel said some of the Chinese systems he had seen stood out from equipment elsewhere for their efficiency and technological sophistication. "It's very fast," he said. "It's quite good."

Many other foreign guests, including delegates from Zimbabwe, Uzbekistan and Burkina Faso, were also at the expo, taking keen look at a wide range of Chinese policing technologies and equipment.

Covering more than 13,000 square meters, this year's expo has attracted more than 100 companies specializing in public security and police equipment. The exhibition features sections dedicated to equipment and technology, overseas security service solutions, comprehensive services for equipment exports, and vehicles.

Yu Bing from the First Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security told the Global Times that the expo aims to promote international exchanges in public security technology and resources, while providing a platform for countries to share expertise and governance experience. Such exchanges could help build mutual trust and contribute Chinese expertise and solutions to promoting common security, Yu said.

Having more exhibitors than the previous two editions, Yu said the event also showcases China's technological capabilities and offers the opportunity to work with other countries to improve global public security governance.

Through the expo, China hopes to further deepen technological exchanges and international cooperation in public security, promote the sharing of resources and expertise and advance mutually beneficial cooperation among countries, another  official with the First Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security said. The event also seeks to translate technological innovation into stronger global public security governance capabilities and inject fresh momentum into building a community with a shared future for humanity featuring common security and shared prosperity.