The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is moving towards paperless investigation practices, with the development of a new investigation management system led by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Florence Chua.

"With this, we will increase productivity, do better sense-making with analytics and improve communications with stakeholders, such as the courts," said Ms Chua in an interview published online in the SPF magazine today.

The deputy commissioner of police for investigations and intelligence also urged police officers to be "open to changing the way we operate" even if they are not tech-savvy.

More details of the paperless initiative will be revealed later this month.

Ms Chua, 53, who is chairman of the Police Women's Committee, also spoke about the challenges facing female officers in SPF.

She said that while there are more opportunities for women to assume leadership positions, it is difficult to do so in all areas of SPF because of the "current ratio of male to female officers".

"By the time you spread them out, it is too thin," she said. "It is also a matter of time, space and opportunity. There needs to be a vacancy before any movement. It is never because you are a female and therefore not competent or suitable. It would also not feel good if you are placed in a leadership position just because you are a female and need to make up the numbers."

She said gender per se does not affect an officer's career, but rather one's personality and character.

Ms Chua, who joined SPF in 1989, said it takes a certain type of woman to join a uniformed organisation. "They tend to be confident of themselves, know what they want and are not afraid of challenges," she said.

Currently, there are 1,800 female police officers, who make up 19 per cent of SPF.

Last June, Ms Chua became the first woman to head CID and to be promoted to the rank of deputy commissioner of police.

Other trailblazing women in SPF include Ms Ng Guat Ting, Singapore's first female division commander, and former Jurong Police Division commander Zuraidah Abdullah, the first woman to hold the rank of senior assistant commissioner.

Ms Chua will be inducted into the Singapore Women's Hall of Fame later this month by the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations to mark International Women's Day, which is celebrated today.

She told The Straits Times in an e-mail interview that growing up, she looked up to her mother, who took on two jobs to ensure that her four daughters could get an education.

"I guess I have picked up her strong sense of justice and work ethic. I have also learnt to treat people as fairly as I can and not do things to others that I do not want others to do to me," she said.