Zebra crossing violations nearly double as police unveil smart-policing plans

[Photo: Renato Marques]

Zebra crossing violations in Macau have almost doubled to 870 cases this year, as police look to introduce 3D scanners and remove a busy crossing to reduce pedestrian-vehicle conflicts.

Police recorded more than 870 cases of failing to yield at pedestrian crossings between January and August this year – nearly double the figure from the same period last year – according to a report on public broadcaster TDM’s radio program Wednesday.

Authorities are also seeking to introduce 3D scanners to speed up accident scene analysis and data collection, while regularly submitting reports on traffic hotspots to the Transport Bureau. These include a proposal to remove a zebra crossing at the junction of Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro and Rua do Visconde Paço de Arcos to reduce vehicle-pedestrian conflicts.

Security officials outlined Macau’s national security and social stability priorities under the new five-year plan on TDM radio, with the Public Security Police Force (PSP) revealing that it would upgrade its command and dispatch system to improve real-time response and accuracy. The force also plans to introduce AI-powered voice recognition technology for 999 emergency calls and statement transcription.

The PSP said it would roll out a range of public services on the Macau One Account platform next year, covering immigration, residence and traffic-related matters.

A senior PSP officer also pledged full cooperation with Hengqin’s development, including a smart border checkpoint for the University of Macau’s campus. The officer said an iris-facial recognition system for vehicle lanes is being tested, with full rollout across 30 Hengqin lanes targeted for next year. All 204 self-service channels at Macau’s checkpoints already support facial recognition, with more than 600,000 registered users.

The Judiciary Police (PJ) said it would continue to deepen smart policing to strengthen crime prevention and enforcement. In the first half of the year, the force solved approximately 250 cases involving illegal currency exchange, detained 322 individuals, and seized more than MOP16 million in cash and chips.

As such cases are becoming increasingly concealed, the force said it would continue to step up enforcement and public education efforts.

The force also revealed plans to build an AI-powered police platform to enhance case analysis, automatically extract and classify key case information, and develop a next-generation AI forensic collaboration platform. In addition, the fourth phase of the cybersecurity situational awareness system upgrade is expected to be completed within the year, including the construction of a new artificial intelligence system.

The PJ has further pledged to improve institutional mechanisms for safeguarding national security, enhance law enforcement capabilities in this area, and ensure social stability and harmony, reaffirming its commitment to shifting public security governance toward a prevention-oriented model.

According to a senior PJ officer, the number of daily cyberattack probes detected by the Cybersecurity Incident Alert and Response Center (CARIC) has surged from around 1,600 in 2020 to approximately 6,100 this year. However, the number of actual cybersecurity incidents has shown an overall downward trend, with 12 cases recorded between January and August.

The officer also said the center would begin preliminary research next year on amendments to the Cybersecurity Law and plans to launch a “Cyber Clean-up” operation. Two technical specification documents on cybersecurity are currently being updated, with completion expected by the end of 2027.

Meanwhile, the Customs Service said it would push ahead with the third phase of its maritime intelligent surveillance system, adding monitoring points in New Urban Zone A and the southern area of Coloane. All monitoring points will be equipped with AI to assist in detecting illegal maritime activities.

Customs also plans to introduce unmanned surface vessels to enhance automated maritime surveillance. In addition, AI smart glasses have already been introduced to work with a passenger screening system, helping frontline officers identify high-risk individuals.