Appreciating and supporting law enforcement in the work that they do
Jump to ↓
| Understanding the challenges |
| Clarifying the complex with technology |
| Navigating data and the future |
| Choosing the right solution |
January 9 is Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, a time to recognize and support the essential work of law enforcement.
On this day, some community members choose to engage with their local departments or share positive interactions. Law enforcement efforts are supported by collaboration with the public, including the responsible use of available information such as security footage, public tips, and online content relevant to investigations.
Technology can also play a role by helping agencies organize and review information from public records and other lawful sources as part of their investigative workflows.
Law Enforcement Appreciation Day can also serve as an opportunity to examine the operational challenges agencies face and the tools available to help address them.
Understanding the challenges
When looking at how digital innovation can support law enforcement agencies to conduct their work, consider the challenges they currently face. They include rising crime rates (at least in some jurisdictions), budgetary constraints, difficulties in finding and keeping qualified officers, and increasing levels of online fraud and other cybercrime.
Start with staffing. Each year, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) conducts a staffing survey of U.S. law enforcement agencies regarding their staffing numbers. PERF’s data reveals that the number of total sworn officers has declined from 159,100 in January 2020 to 150,714 in January 2023. The numbers were more positive in January 2024, to 151,335. Still, law enforcement staffing remains stressed. Large agencies (250+ officers) reported the greatest staffing challenges. Medium (50-249 officers) and small agencies (1-49 officers) have been having better luck, employing more officers than they were in January 2020.
Staffing problems feed into other challenges. Many departments have had to spend less time on investigative work in order to handle a rising volume of incident calls. Staffing strains also have had a marked negative impact on officer morale, further reducing their effectiveness in the communities they serve.
To respond to these challenges, agencies continue to evaluate tools and processes that help them manage workloads, prioritize investigative tasks, and operate effectively within existing constraints.Clarifying the complex with technology.
 |
Clarifying the complex with technology
Data analysis that incorporates AI can provide law enforcement agencies a leg up when it comes to understanding the level and types of crime in their community and the nearby region. It can help them quickly sort through complex and often confusing data sets to uncover criminal activity and perpetrator location.
But simply having a digital data platform isn’t enough. Agencies need to conduct rigorous due diligence on the available tools to ensure that they are truly helpful. For instance, a platform needs up-to-date and accurate data–and to deliver reliable information quickly. It is essential for agencies to ensure that their officials have identified the correct subject before moving ahead with an arrest.
In addition, agencies need a single platform that can pore through a variety of public data sets so that law enforcement personnel can better track down offenders. Collecting and analyzing all this data helps agencies understand the full story of the activity being investigated. Related to this is the need to access crime data across jurisdictions, both within and outside the state. Finally, an investigative platform should be intuitive to use and not require peace officers to be IT specialists.
Navigating data and the future
As the volume of available information continues to grow, law enforcement agencies face increasing complexity in managing and reviewing data relevant to investigations. These challenges are compounded by ongoing staffing and budget considerations.
Selecting technology that can adapt to evolving needs—while supporting existing investigative practices rather than replacing them—remains an important consideration for agencies planning for the future.
As agencies incorporate technology into their work, they need to make sure that they are equipping and training officers in its most effective use. By providing access to advanced technology, law enforcement agencies can better protect their officers in the line of duty as well as the public. But that can happen only if these digital tools are used properly.
Choosing the right solution
One tech platform designed specifically for public safety agencies and their work is Thomson Reuters’ investigative software and solutions for law enforcement.
 |
Powered by CLEAR, these solutions are designed to augment investigative workflows by helping officers access and organize information efficiently, while relying on professional judgment and established procedures for interpretation and analysis.
- CrimeTracer integration: Seamlessly search a network of law enforcement agency data and comprehensive public records with CLEAR data integrated into the CrimeTracer platform.
- License plate recognition: Access historical license plate detection data to help identify potential leads and connections. LPR data is not live or real time and should be used as a supplemental investigative resource.
- Incarceration and arrest records: Gain crucial insights to help close investigation gaps and improve community safety with access to booking records.
Here are three cases that demonstrate how law enforcement agencies can use Thomson Reuters’ solutions to make their investigations more efficient and successful:
- In Detroit, CLEAR provided police with location data for a woman who’d abducted a child from foster care.
- CLEAR’s data retrieval and analysis capabilities helped a South Carolina police force solve a complex theft case that crossed several jurisdictions.
- In Nebraska, investigators used CLEAR to crack a 50-year-old murder case.
Law Enforcement Appreciation Day provides an opportunity to acknowledge the work performed by law enforcement agencies and the operational considerations they navigate. As these challenges evolve, agencies continue to assess tools and practices that support responsible, effective investigations in collaboration with the public.
Thomson Reuters is not a consumer reporting agency and none of its services or the data contained therein constitute a ‘consumer report’ as such term is defined in the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), 15 U.S.C. sec. 1681 et seq. The data provided to you may not be used as a factor in consumer debt collection decisioning, establishing a consumer’s eligibility for credit, insurance, employment, government benefits, or housing, or for any other purpose authorized under the FCRA. By accessing one of our services, you agree not to use the service or data for any purpose authorized under the FCRA or in relation to taking an adverse action relating to a consumer application.
