Three Neighbourhood Police Posts (NPP) in West Coast, Radin Mas and Marsiling, will be fully automated from Saturday, the first time since NPPs were introduced here 30 years ago.

The three NPPs will provide round-the-clock automated services such as a touchscreen e-kiosk with video conferencing capabilities that members of the public can use to lodge police reports and apply for a passport. There is also an automated drop-box where one can report and deposit any found property, and a conference room where community partners such as the Citizens-on-Patrol can train and meet.

The pilot scheme involving these three NPPs were launched on Saturday as part of an island-wide revamp in a bid to improve service delivery and free up police officers to perform other duties such as foot and bicycle patrols. The changes will be evaluated for six months before they are subsequently rolled out to the other 60 NPPs.

"All in, the transformation of the NPPs represents an augmentation of the role of the NPP beyond that of a police service centre," said Second Home Affairs Minister, Mr S Iswaran, who is also West Coast GRC MP. "The revamped NPPs present more resources and opportunities for the police and community to work together."

The revamp is part of a wider effort by the police as it implements its Community Policing System, which aims to improve community policing by re-organising manpower, deepening community engagement, and better leveraging on technology.