From effectively implementing AI-enabled workflows to maintaining compliance with the latest CJIS security guidelines, law enforcement agencies face a variety of challenges. Our third annual survey of law enforcement leaders uncovered the trends and challenges top of mind for them.
One challenge that has remained consistent in recent years: staffing. This year, 89.4% of respondents identified recruiting, staffing, and retention as a top challenge, a 6% increase from the previous year’s poll. These staffing challenges have a direct impact on officer productivity. In a 2023 survey conducted by Lexipol, 61% of law enforcement professionals said their response times to low-priority calls had increased due to staffing shortages.
AI and other tech advancements can help agencies achieve greater efficiency even in the midst of staffing challenges by streamlining workflows and enhancing situational awareness. Yet, despite optimism for AI’s potential, 25% of leaders say they struggle to effectively harness new technology.
Which technologies are priorities for leaders? What barriers stand in the way of successful deployments? Let’s dive into the results of our latest industry survey to find out.
AI and Mobile Technologies for Improved Response Times
When it comes to improving response times, law enforcement leaders believe that mobile computing devices, AI, and advanced connectivity will deliver the greatest impact.
Mobile technologies, such as laptops and tablets, allow law enforcement to collect large amounts of digital data about everything from the frequency of crimes in a particular area to successful response plans for specific buildings. The ability to rapidly analyze this data with AI-powered tools is crucial to develop proactive response plans.
AI-enabled software applications can analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends, so law enforcement agencies can allocate their limited resources more effectively, deploy officers to the highest-risk areas, and minimize the likelihood of crime. Crime analysis teams can also spend more time developing multiple response plan scenarios, so officers can act quickly with better situational awareness and more coordinated responses.
Additionally, AI facilitates better communication between connected vehicles and smart street signals, supporting consistent traffic management and driver safety. When deployed alongside smart preemption systems, AI can help integrate emergency vehicles’ preemption capabilities with departments’ dispatch systems. This allows for smooth traffic light preemption based on the severity of the call.
Obstacles Inhibiting AI Adoption
The need for greater efficiency amid the labor shortage is driving interest in AI-enabled tools, with 42% of respondents believing AI integrated predictive apps would ease staffing issues. However, law enforcement leaders noted several challenges inhibiting AI adoption in their departments. Specifically, leaders cited lack of awareness and training, budget constraints, and resistance to change as barriers to AI adoption.
Implementing AI tools alongside guidelines and employee training programs can help ease the transition and mitigate compliance concerns. It’s also important for employees to understand that the purpose of AI tools is to automate manual tasks, so officers can spend more time on high-touch initiatives that demand a personalized approach, like strategy and planning. Humans will always need to review the outputs of AI-enabled platforms, and it will take employees time to adapt to the tools and learn how to use them to best support their workflows.
To simplify training and get the best AI performance, it’s important to equip employees with the right mobile computing devices. Durable and modular designs can keep up with demanding work environments and support officers for years to come. Devices also need significant processing power to handle AI-based applications. The latest CPUs, GPUs, and NPUs, like those in the TOUGHBOOK 40, process AI workloads quickly and efficiently, so officers can access information with no delay, thus increasing productivity and efficiency.
The Power of the Right Partner
By aligning with a trusted partner, law enforcement agencies can overcome many of the challenges associated with deploying new technologies like AI. According to the survey, funding and IT support are two of the biggest challenges to adopting new technology, making it critical to seek out an experienced partner who can address those concerns.
Panasonic provides expert guidance to help agencies with their grant applications. They recognize that many agencies are understaffed or struggle to secure grant programs, making it harder to implement new technology that supports their missions and positively impacts their communities. By working with a partner who offers support with project consultation, funder research, and the grant-writing process, agencies receive insightful guidance to launch new projects and expand existing initiatives.
From a budgetary perspective, working with a partner who offers flexible payment models can help ease the adoption of new tech. While it can be challenging to secure CAPEX funding for technology, departments shouldn’t miss out on the opportunity to adopt advanced solutions that simplify their workflows. Programs like TOUGHBOOK As A Service offer a subscription-based model that spreads the cost of a deployment over several years.
To protect investments and ensure the longevity of new solutions, it is critical to work with a partner who offers IT support. Panasonic’s IT support services cater to the needs of individual agencies, offering a customized package of services that address unique department challenges. From supporting deployment to real-time troubleshooting, IT support services guarantee that technology remains operational so officers can focus on serving their communities.
Looking Ahead
With 85% of public sector decision-makers willing to embrace emerging technologies over legacy systems, there’s exciting potential for the latest solutions to transform law enforcement workflows. This potential comes at a critical time when officers need the productivity boost more than ever amid staffing shortages.
Yet, as our survey uncovered, 25% of departments still struggle to effectively implement new solutions. That’s where partnering with the right tech provider can ease deployment challenges and reduce downtime so IT departments can rest assured their investments contribute positively to the department’s overall productivity.
For the full findings of Panasonic Connect’s annual survey of law enforcement leaders, check out our infographic: https://connect.na.panasonic.com/resource-center/law-enforcement-technology-pulse-trends-and-top-of-mind-for-department-leaders
