Data and technology: How law enforcement agencies see the future

1. Addressing staffing issues and recruiting
2. Assessing and investing in updated technologies and systems to improve policing efficiency and effectiveness
3. Developing and implementing proactive or preventative policing and community engagement models
4. Dealing with budget issues and funding priorities
5. Developing and implementing officer wellness and mental health programs
6. Developing and implementing officer training programs, tools, and approaches
7. Responding to calls for — or developing strategies based on — police reform priorities from the community or state
8. Developing specific strategies for particular local crime patterns and trends such as drugs, car thefts, gangs, etc.
9. Developing and implementing officer safety programs, tools, and approaches
10. Other key priorities not listed above

The data in this white paper was obtained from the Thomson Reuters Future of Policing survey, an online survey of 88 law enforcement respondents conducted from March 7 to March 24, 2023. The survey aimed to gather insights on the use of technology in crime detection, prevention, response, and investigation.

Using technology to solve staffing issues

Police staffing problems are nearly universal — only 8% of respondents said they had fully staffed departments. Recruitment and retention are a main focus, respondents said, as they look ahead to declining enrollments in police academies and training programs.

Respondents in the 18-to-44 and 45-to-54 age groups placed a higher priority on staffing, investing in technologies, and developing officer safety and wellness programs than those who are 55 or older. Younger cohorts are likely to be the ones in decision-making roles about the tools in which police departments invest.

In almost all cases, respondents saw new technology investment as a solution to the problem of agency understaffing. As one police chief respondent to our survey said, "You could do a lot of those functions using technology that would make you more efficient and effective."

Technology and staffing levels

Departments with moderate levels of understaffing (6% to 15%) prioritize technology adoption more than those with less severe or more severe staffing issues. However, respondents from agencies with more severe staffing problems are less likely to say they place high value on enhancements to existing technology. Respondents at agencies closer to being fully staffed, as well as those at agencies in the largest jurisdictions, are considerably more interested in technological-driven efficiency in their work.

Technology solutions that can mitigate the impact of staff shortages — for example, by tagging and mapping incident locations to better distribute tight staffing resources — were seen as a high-value investment.

Further, one respondent — an agency analyst — suggested that not all new staff members need to be sworn officers. “I do foresee that at some point we’ll see less on the side of armed officers, like historically what we have, and more of an increase in the data services, or these professional services,” the analyst suggested, adding that makes the information “kind of a force multiplier for those that are working on the street in those positions."

While respondents are aware of technology's potential to eventually help departments bridge gaps in staffing and reduce workload, the short-term decision to invest depends on whether the agency has other pressing priorities, including staffing shortages and increased crime rates.

Emerging tech priorities

Technologies that automate cell phone data extraction — 63% high value — and technologies that expand the capabilities of license plate recognition (LPR) — 48% high value — are the most valued among emerging technologies for law enforcement.

Databases and tools that enable more effective information sharing across regional law enforcement agencies — 40% high value — and software that enables real-time flagging of addresses related to prior incidents or criminal connections (37%) were also appealing.

1. Technologies that automate cell phone data extraction
2. Technologies that expand the capabilities of license plate readers to search by other characteristics, such as vehicle type, color, etc.
3. Databases or tools that enable more effective information sharing across regional law enforcement agencies
4. Software that enables real-time flagging of addresses for prior incidents or criminal connections
5. Technology that monitors and detects threats on social media
6. Information databases that visually display relationships between individuals, such as transactions, social media, or geo-location
7. Technology and information tools that more effectively investigate fraud
8. Technology and information tools that more effectively prevent electronic fraud in real time
9. Training tools and educational programs that educate patrol officers and investigators on emerging criminal uses of technology
10. Training tools and educational programs that educate the public on emerging criminal, fraudulent uses of technology

The data in this white paper was obtained from the Thomson Reuters Future of Policing survey, an online survey of 88 law enforcement respondents conducted from March 7 to March 24, 2023. The survey aimed to gather insights on the use of technology in crime detection, prevention, response, and investigation.

Among technology priorities, the highest interest is seen in the automation of cell phone data extraction (63%) and technologies that expand the capabilities of license plate readers (48%). Databases and tools that enable more effective information sharing across regional law enforcement agencies, such as SoundThinking’s CrimeTracer, were cited by 40% of respondents as high value. Software that enables real-time flagging of addresses related to prior incidents or other criminal connections (37%), such as Thomson Reuters CLEAR, has also garnered interest.

Technology and crime rates

Reported crime rates were on the rise for most respondents' jurisdictions, with 25% reporting significant increases and 49% reporting a crime rate that is somewhat increasing. Respondents from jurisdictions reporting increasing crime rates and law enforcement departments in the mid-size range — 31 to 250 sworn officers — prioritized assessing and investing in technologies to improve policing effectiveness.

Yet across all jurisdictions, large and small, there was a recognition that nearly every crime-related incident has some digital element. One respondent explained, "Almost all criminal investigations at every level now involve a technological component. Giving officers the training and tools to understand and effectively deal with data analytics is always a goal as technology changes and improves over time."

Using technology to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and proactive policing

Police departments have been looking to increase transparency, legitimacy, and efficiency in the eyes of the communities they serve. Yet newer technologies generate an overwhelming amount of data that could present a problem when searching for relevant information. For example, video data collected from body cams and stationary location cameras produce so much data that they create a bottleneck in searching, cataloging, and analysis.

Not surprisingly, our survey shows that 43% of respondents rated video data cameras as a top three technology priority; the same portion rated the data analytics need to decipher video and other evidence material as a top three priority. This statistic shows it is critical for law enforcement agencies to find ways to improve the management and accessibility of data and records for police departments, especially in making that information more accessible for searches.

Since most jurisdictions have already adopted some form of these research tools, there appears to be a desire for better tools in these categories. Technology desires for the next few years, in part, depend on which tools have already been adopted and used.

Technology resource priorities ranking

When asked to rank the top three technology resource priorities overall, there is no clear most-valued technology among these law enforcement respondents.

1. Video surveillance and body cam technologies
2. Data analytics pertaining to digital evidence, such as cell phones, videos, social media, etc.
3. Data sharing and acquisition of suspect or offender data with neighboring agencies and statewide organizations
4. Expanded license plate reader technology
5. Technologies that enable smart policing, proactive policing, and intelligent response and patrol
6. Drones for surveillance, response, and detection
7. Community reporting technologies and tools
8. Facial-recognition technologies
9. Geo-location technologies for officers, offenders, and parolees
10. Other key technology areas not listed above

The data in this white paper was obtained from the Thomson Reuters Future of Policing survey, an online survey of 88 law enforcement respondents conducted from March 7 to March 24, 2023. The survey aimed to gather insights on the use of technology in crime detection, prevention, response, and investigation.

In jurisdictions with significant or moderate increases in crime, data analytics tools that can sift through digital evidence — cell phones, videos, LPRs, social media, etc. — were most likely to be ranked as extremely important by respondents. Those involved in investigative work were more likely to be interested in data analytics capacities (55%), as were 70% of all respondents from jurisdictions with large populations.

There is also a strong desire for interoperability within departmental systems and between agencies — the latter being a very long-standing problem in policing. The ability to share and access timely data, including incident, suspect, and offender data with and from other agencies, varies by different types of departments. It is notably a higher priority for small- to medium-sized departments than for larger ones and is also associated with an increasing crime rate in the jurisdiction. 

As one respondent described: "We are in a major metropolitan area and it is vitally important that we share suspect and offender data with partner agencies around us, both to assist in identifying and locating the suspects as well as to avoid duplicating efforts."

Budget worries

Budgeting problems — which can strongly influence technology purchases and implementation — rank highly among respondents as a concern. Almost one-third (31%) said their departments faced tight budgeting and were aware of the need to choose wisely when funds become available for additional technology. Agency budgets for technology are usually not earmarked by item.

Law enforcement technology budgeting

It was rare that any technology item for law enforcement has its own separate budget item — those that were most likely to have their own budget line are mobile data terminals (36%), in-car or body-worn cameras (36%), and records management software (32%).

The next tier of technologies most likely to have their own budget item include:

• Tactical technologies such as drones, thermal imaging, and shot spotters (30%)
• Forensic and investigative technologies (27%)
• License plate readers (25%)

1. Records management software
2. Mobile data terminals
3. In-car or body-worn cameras
4. Video surveillance hardware and software
5. Forensic and investigative technologies
6. Intelligence and analytic technology and databases
7. Information-sharing technologies and systems
8. Tactical technologies such as drones, thermal imaging, and shot spotters
9. License plate readers
10. Video-based analytics
11. Biometric technologies

The data in this white paper was obtained from the Thomson Reuters Future of Policing survey, an online survey of 88 law enforcement respondents conducted from March 7 to March 24, 2023. The survey aimed to gather insights on the use of technology in crime detection, prevention, response, and investigation.

In our survey, the overwhelming majority of agencies have already adopted these tools. For example, 91% of departments already have body-camera technology.

Of course, all these tools require maintenance and periodic upgrades, which can also be a cost concern. In-car and body-camera expenditures were expected to increase for 58% of agencies, and 39% of agencies expected to spend more on license plate readers, forensic or investigative technologies (33%), and video surveillance hardware or software (32%).

Conclusion

Law enforcement agencies sit squarely in an era of ever-more-available technology and are also aware of their need for more or better tools. Yet, budget constraints and acute staffing concerns are forcing agencies to be more strategy minded about how technology could help, and there is a wariness about costly solutions or those with a steep learning curve.

This survey report suggests several steps that police departments can take to clarify their technology priorities and make smarter purchases, including: 

• Agencies should make a complete inventory of what technology tools are already in use within the department and what tools neighboring and comparable departments are using.
• Agencies should identify areas of greatest risk regarding what technology tools have not yet been implemented.
• Every member of the organization, from clerical to supervisory, can play a role in assessing the effectiveness of existing technologies and potential improvements.
• Agencies should also consider consulting their communities about any major adoption and getting their feedback. In some cases, data transparency can be enhanced with existing tools.
• Agency leaders could also lean on data providers to help educate them on new technologies and methodologies that are becoming available.

By taking these steps, law enforcement agencies can best utilize technology solutions to increase transparency, legitimacy, and efficiency in the eyes of the communities they serve while also being responsive to their internal concerns around staffing and budgets.

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