Big data helps Chinese police net fugitives

GUIYANG - Police in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, are using a big data system to capture criminals.

Launched in September 2017, the system features street cameras and facial recognition technology.

By March, Guiyang police had used the system to seize 872 suspects, of whom 66 were on a Ministry of Public Security fugitives list.

The system has also helped police find missing children and elderly people, according to Xu Yan, director of Guiyang police public alarm center.

On Feb 27, the system identified a fugitive, and sent an alert to police on patrol who then arrested him.

"It was almost impossible for us to tell who the suspect was, because he had been on the run for 18 years and his appearance had changed a great deal," said police officer Yang Chao.

The judgement of the system is not clouded even if a suspect has many wrinkles or has grown a beard," said Yang.

Li Bin, deputy head of Guiyang police information and technological office, said 90 percent of the alerts generated by the system had led to arrests.

"It is a great support for traditional police investigation techniques," he said.

"Big data represents technology that can improve city management", said Zhang Bo with Tsinghua University.

As one of the least developed provinces in China, Guizhou has become a pioneer in the country's big data development thanks to its mild climate, solid power supply infrastructure. Big data is being widely applied in government management, business and daily life.