Delivering the valedictory address at the Conference, the Union Home Secretary Shri Anil Goswami said that the movement of people, goods and ideas has always driven with the development of nations and provided opportunities for economic growth and prosperity. He said that the security measures should be designed to facilitate the safe and efficient movement of people and goods while securing the critical infrastructure.
Shri Goswami further said that the increasing use of digital networks and information and communication technology provides opportunities but also poses a security threat to data and computer systems. He said that there is a need for security co-operation between India and USA, which faces this challenge due to a larger number of computer and internet users in the two countries. In the area of cyber security, he emphasized the need to strengthen the security environment to facilitate e-commerce, e-banking and day-to-day activities covering the financial services, power industry, telecommunications industry and public services. He expressed his satisfaction on the deliberations in the Conference which focused on the need for a healthy combination of technology, building security infrastructure and the need to synchronize the domestic laws with the global standards. He said that the service providers play a very important role in the investigations of cyber crimes and most of the service providers are based in USA. It would be important to strengthen the process of legal assistance so as to speed up the investigations and promote legal mechanisms that encourage co-operation in cyber crime matter, he added.
The Home Secretary said that the great potential exists for co-operation not only between the authorities of the two countries but also between the technology and business partners, who are expected to play a crucial role in finding technology enabled solutions to the unique challenges of modern policing.
Shri Goswami said that the partnership in the areas of use of sophisticated technology, training and capacity building, forensics, solutions for chemicals, radiological, biological and nuclear threats, technological support system for underground metro stations tunnels, track security, behavior detection and IT solutions to manage security contingencies need to the further strengthened.
During the two day Conference, seven brainstorming sessions covering Response to Mass Casualty Event; Maritime security and Law enforcement (passengers and Cargo security); Surveillance and Command Control in urban policing; Security and Law enforcement in Mass transit system; Lawful interception and investigations; Crime investigations and Forensics and Community policing were organized.
There were presentations by Police Chiefs and Senior Officers of the Department of Homeland Security from the US side and by Senior Police and Government officers from Indian side.
The conference was attended by U.S. delegation consisting of Police Chiefs from major cities and their technology partners. Important speakers from the USA were Mr. Stu Frome, Deputy Chief of Staff FLETC, Mr. Dan Oates, Chief, Aurora Police Department, Colorado, Mr. Michael P. Downing, Deputy Chief, LA Police Department, Mr. Erik Aubin, DHS CBP Attaché, Mr. Harold Hurtt, Assistant Director, DHS Mr. Daniel C. Clegg, FBI Legal Attaché, Mr. Art Acevedo, Chief, Austin Police Dept., Texas. The representatives of Indian delegation included Shri Madhukar Gupta former Union Home Secretary, Sh. Nehchal Sandhu, Deputy NSA, Indian State Police Forces, Para-military Forces, Technology partners, representatives from other law enforcement agencies and senior officers from MHA.
