Reimagining Public Safety in 2022
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First response and public safety operations have been confronting emerging and continuing threats, such as cyber-attacks and COVID-19 implications.
Using data to drive changes in public safety is critical, claims the 2022 U.S. Public Safety Trends Report from Mark43, cited by thecrimereport.org. “Agencies should use the data they collected to embed a culture of diligence and innovation in the organization.”
The report points at key trends public safety agencies in the US will have to deal with in 2022, here are some of them:
- Over the backdrop of the emergence of movements aimed at eliminating the functions of law enforcement, public safety agencies must be proactive in assessing their role in community interactions.
- Dwindling workforce – The last two decades have seen a drop in the recruitment and retention of public safety employees in the US. That means, in 2022, leading agencies will market themselves as modern workplaces.
- Mobile technology offers first responders incredible situational awareness, and emerging technologies’ capabilities to increase first responder support are only limited by the imagination. In 2022, the adoption of technologies that support first responder wellness and increase field efficiency will continue to grow. “Technologies such as mobile access to records management systems (RMS) can allow users to collect data and create reports from the field.” Agencies are called to involve the community in the evaluation process, increasing trust and effectiveness.
- Cybersecurity – the increase in cyberattacks against government agencies requires the proactive pursuit of proven technologies from public and private sources.
- Data as the key to public confidence – “In 2022, leading agencies will expand the use of data in their efforts to rebuild community trust. Citizens are taking an active role in public safety problem-solving, and agencies are rethinking their engagement through three tenets: availability, accessibility, and authenticity.”
