Are you patrolling in the dark? Learn how your data can help
Law enforcement agencies today have numerous of data-capturing sources—such as body cameras, computer-aided dispatch (CAD), record management systems (RMS), and automated license plate recognition (ALPR)—with the potential to provide rich insights, yet their data is often unstructured and lacks the necessary context and connections. The challenge is discerning what data is truly important and how to surface, connect, and derive meaningful intelligence and responses. From the enhanced computational power of the cloud to the sophisticated machine learning algorithms that underpin artificial intelligence, digital technology offers solutions that greatly advance law enforcement’s ability to make use of its data.
At the same time, demands on law enforcement globally are increasing due to new threats from terrorism and increasingly sophisticated criminals. Stretched budgets put greater pressure on law enforcement agencies to do more with less, every day. Increasingly public discussions and scrutiny through channels such as social media add complexity to an already challenging assignment. With all these pressures, the deceptively simple mission of law enforcement—“to serve and protect”—has never been more daunting.
How then can law enforcement overcome its big data fog and advance policing despite the constraints outlined above? While there are no easy answers here, technology can significantly increase the efficiency and reach of overtaxed police forces by improving data integration and analytics. For example, using historical data coupled with data driven methods such as machine learning and predictive analytics, can greatly enhance law enforcement’s situational intelligence when responding to an emergency. In this way technology can serve as a strategic force multiplier when aligned to the mission, while also enhancing trust and collaboration with citizens.
Enhancing street smarts—deriving your situational intelligence
Stay tuned– in future blog posts, we’ll explore how law enforcement agencies are deriving value from their data for greater situational intelligence before, during and after incidents occur. Find out more about advancing policing in the twenty-first century with smart data.
