As we start to emerge from the most stringent measures of lockdown, law enforcement agencies need to embrace new and innovative technologies. These technologies will help them to act as efficiently and effectively as possible with the demands that will be placed on their already stretched resources.

In the private sector, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted many of the digital shortcomings that exist. According to the recently published DMEXCO Trend Survey, “70% of respondents from DACH [Germany, Austria, Switzerland] regions expect the coronavirus pandemic to accelerate the pace of the digital transformation.”

Whilst governments have been pumping out cash and investment to immediately prop up all sectors of the economy, it is highly likely that belt tightening is not too far around the corner, therefore the pressure on front line agencies is only likely to grow beyond its already stretched resources and capabilities.

While there are many challenges, this does provide an opportunity to leapfrog and move beyond their current digital programmes. A chance to fully embrace cutting edge technologies and introduce the efficiencies that new innovations can bring.  Many new technologies can be rapidly deployed, for example through the advent and broad adoption of the SaaS hosted model for AI or predictive analytics models – allowing solutions to be deployed in a matter of days, not months or years as many historical digital programmes may have. Such solutions allowing greater insights into, for example, open source accesses could help to inform and then direct front line resources more efficiently than has ever been seen before.

Additionally, as IoT technologies emerge onto the market, there are some fantastic opportunities for organisations to help support key staff. We have seen the use of in-ear body temperature sensors, originally developed for athletes, being used now for front line staff – where state of the art in ear communications can be combined with early indicators of potential fever.

Massive investments

Western governments and private enterprises have invested heavily into new cutting edge technologies. Large funding programmes have been provided to support and drive university led initiatives from the likes of UK Research and Innovation, the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme and Enterprise Ireland, as well as massive cash injections from angel investors, VCs and large tech’s innovation teams. Investment at a time when many of the innovations are beginning to commercialise and come to the market. This has led to the emergence of some truly transformative technologies and continues to spawn ever more advances.

As mentioned previously by us, it may be the case that the legislative infrastructure may not be in place to embrace all forms of technology innovation – such as with some of the uses of drone technologies – however governments need to look at providing the framework for their front line agencies to be able to adapt, adopt and deploy such developments.

It is not as though life pre-COVID-19 was particularly sedentary, however with the enormous pressures that the pandemic has brought with it, embracing a digital strategy is key to enable government agencies to do their jobs as effectively as possible – protecting people and saving lives.

At Digilanti we have been working both with highly innovative technology disruptors as well as government agencies for decades – get in touch to learn more about how we could help you develop a programme to embrace next generation technologies and get near term benefits into your organisation.