Policing is operating in a time of global change and uncertainty. The challenges and opportunities brought by digital disruption are rapidly becoming defining issues for the police service. In an increasingly digital world, law enforcement cannot afford to stand still. Today, every aspect of policing relies on data and technology to address challenges and discover more efficient ways of working.

Digital transformation is central to achieving the Policing Vision 2030, driving improvements in data, technology, and, most importantly, the skills of the people who lead, manage, and use these advancements. To accomplish this, forces need to remain agile, continually prioritising and focusing their efforts across the service, with a clear understanding of what is required to deliver results. They must capitalise on local frontline innovation and creativity, while also finding ways to scale and deploy services rapidly. It must also be recognised that forces still contend with a legacy technology estate.

Information is the lifeblood of policing, and therefore forces must treat data as a strategic asset in how it is captured, managed, and analysed, with careful consideration of all legal and ethical implications. They must fully leverage the vast amounts of data available to them, enabling intelligence-led preventative policing and investigations, supported by the appropriate platforms and tools for effective data exploitation.