Smart policing: Seoul deploys hologram ‘officer’ to deter crime

A life-size hologram of a police officer, installed in a South Korean park to boost public safety, is doing a good job preventing crime, with reports of criminal activities down by more than a fifth since it went up.

Standing at about 1.7 metres (5ft 6in) tall and dressed in full uniform, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s 3D projection is based on a real-life officer, according to the E-daily newspaper.

As the hologram had to be on display in all seasons, the dress uniform was chosen as it was “suitable for the entire year”, an official from the police station told The Chosun Daily, adding that the hologram was popular with the sizeable foreign population in the area.

The digital officer appears nightly, glowing blue in the dark, between 7pm and 10pm at Jodong No 3 Park in central Seoul. It pops up every two minutes to deliver a pre-recorded audio message reminding passers-by that they are being watched by security cameras and that “in the event of violence or other emergencies, the police will respond in real time” before disappearing.

Developed by South Korean tech company Hologrammica, it has been operating since last October under the city’s “Safe Park” programme, which targets areas prone to public disorders such as drunkenness and violent behaviour that need more policing.

And even though the hologram cannot intervene or make arrests like its flesh and-blood counterparts, its mere presence has had a psychological impact, officials say.