Contact us
Contact us
Police Technology

Perspective on Data with Police Technology

Doug Merritt September 3, 2024

In a recent talk with one of our long-standing partners, Dr. Daniel J. Flannery, Semi J. and Ruth Begun Professor and Director of the Begun Center for Violence Prevention Research and Education at the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, we asked him about the role of data in police technology and to provide us a little perspective. 

What role can data play in relation to police technology?

Dr. Flannery emphasized the importance of better understanding, communication, and clear expectations. For those outside of academia, data can feel like a foreign language. When data isn’t structured properly or presented clearly, it starts at a disadvantage, undermining its potential impact.

Transparency in sharing data is crucial, ensuring it is done in a fair and balanced manner. Restrictions on data access and storage can hinder law enforcement’s effectiveness. However, it’s not just about secure data storage, which is a frequent concern, especially with body-worn camera (BWC) data. The real issue lies in law enforcement’s ability—and willingness—to regularly use the data they collect. Data should inform training, on-the-ground practices, policy-making, and accountability. When this happens, data becomes most useful, particularly in terms of access, sharing, analysis, and utilization. While data isn’t always the primary focus in policing, a more mindful approach to its role in public safety is needed, with collaboration across all levels of policing, including data collection. Regular and reliable data collection is essential.

Another pressing challenge is ensuring data security and privacy. These issues are highly significant, yet no standardized system exists to manage them across departments and agencies. The difficulty of collecting systemic information is further complicated by the need for public acceptance. For example, when facial recognition technology was first introduced, it faced significant skepticism, and many were wary of its potential implications (a concern still persists for some). However, as the technology becomes more mainstream and integrated into various platforms, many skeptics are beginning to recognize its value.

While data alone doesn’t dictate the success of a technology, it plays a crucial role, particularly when a community issue is under public scrutiny and the technology serves as a key benchmark for progress.

Juvenile Court Art Show...A Success!Juvenile Court Art Show...A Success!December 3, 2020

Related Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *