2022 Law Enforcement Trends – and what to expect in 2023
Recently, the law enforcement sector has seen a lot of changes and new legislation has been introduced, affecting the industry at several levels. 20+ states have adjusted their ‘standards of force’ policies, and many states mandated body-worn camera adoption for all officers. Good intentions aside, this can be a big switch for police stations. Outfitting all officers with cameras, teaching them how to use them, and monitoring the backend can take time and human resources to manage.
Amid budget cuts and burnout, law enforcement agencies have noticed a huge increase in staff turnover nationwide. Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy solution for improving a staffing crisis of this severity. Even before the nationwide protests of 2020, agencies struggled to staff their departments. Due to the nature of the work, this profession already has an above-average staff turnover rate. It leaves agencies questioning what they can offer recruits and current officers while staying within their already slashed budget. Law enforcement personnel is estimated to grow by a mere 3% by 2031.
2022 brought a whirlwind of innovative and reimagined technology for law enforcement agencies.
2022 TRENDS
BODYCAMS
The bodycam mandates saw an influx of bodycam technology hit the market and reinvigorated marketing strategies for older models.
BIOMETRICS
Biometrics was another technology that gained some traffic over the year. Identification through biometrics can increase the accuracy of identifying individuals faster. Many departments are adopting it to combat their staffing shortage.
GUNSHOT DETECTION
Gunshot detection technology is relatively new but has received some serious overhaul recently to make it more accurate while also considering the public’s privacy – including the ability to identify weapon types and the precursors to high-severity incidents such as unauthorized entry and crowd commotion. With automated threat detection, security operations teams are alerted to threats in real time and can intervene before incidents escalate.
VEHICLE PURSUIT DARTS
These darts can be fired by police and attached to vehicles mid-pursuit. This way, the police have GPS data to follow instead of risky, high-speed chases.
So, what’s on the docket for 2023?
2023 PREDICTIONS
CONTINUED STAFFING SHORTAGE
It doesn’t look like the staffing shortage will fix itself anytime soon – they are rarely a short-term problem. 2023 will likely see an increase in police turnover.
EFFORTS TO ImprovE Efficiency and Communications
The 2022 International Association of Chiefs of Police conference discussed improving communication and efficiency at length. This was considered the primary concern among agencies nationwide. GPS mapping applications and an LTE network created for only first responders are some of the new technology attempting to alleviate this pain point.
Data-driven Crime Prevention
In 2023 law enforcement agencies are trying to focus on data-driven responses. This takes emotion and some human error out of the equation, not to mention more timely responses.
Why it's time to up your technology game
Today’s world relies on technology, and law enforcement agencies aren’t any different. GMI offers various tools for law enforcement agencies to alleviate the pains of the staffing shortage, improve overall communications, and help make data-driven decisions. We provide a premier LTE network created for first responders to decrease abrasion caused by lack of communication. Our DHS award-winning gunshot detection technology supports your officers and gives them the data to enable a more efficient response.
Visit our public safety page for more information.