• Research by a Charles Sturt University academic and a colleague provides a conceptual framework to harness the interactive potential of new smart technologies to enhance police operations
• The impact of new smart technologies on policing is complex and multifaceted, and their integrated use in policing is a relatively new field
• This initial yet pivotal study not only introduces a new evaluative framework but also acts as a catalyst for ongoing research

A recently published paper by a Charles Sturt University policing researcher and a colleague argues that the burgeoning integration of new technologies by police forces globally represents a significant advance in policing methodology and strategies.

Lead author Dr Amanda Davies (pictured) is a researcher in the Charles Sturt School of Policing Studies and the Regional Work and Organisational Resilience (RWOR) Sturt Group research team.

Her paper with co-author Assistant Professor Ghaleb Krame, ‘Integrating body-worn cameras, drones, and AI: a framework for enhancing police readiness and response’, proposes a conceptual framework to harness the synergistic potential of these technologies to enhance the efficacy and responsiveness of police operations.

Dr Davies said the combined use of body-worn cameras (BWCs), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also known as drones, and artificial intelligence (AI) as an integrated framework in policing operations represents a transformative approach to modern policing.

“The impact of technology such as BWCs, drones and AI on policing is complex and multifaceted, and their integrated use in policing is a relatively new field,” she said.

“As the research literature indicates, individually, these technologies are impacting policing endeavours across a broad spectrum of activities.

“Combining these technologies and understanding how such a combined BWC-drone-AI framework influences policing requires adopting a flexible exploratory approach to capture the wide array of outcomes and the nuanced elements that underpin the activities.”

Dr Davies said the paper presents and discusses a conceptual framework for the synergistic application of BWCs, drones and AI as a reflective tool assessing operational effectiveness and a future-focussed approach for enhancing effective operational response.

“An exploratory approach allows for continuous learning and adaptation based on emergent findings, proving more effective in navigating such novelty,” she said.

“The effectiveness of BWCs, drones and AI in policing can be influenced by a variety of contextual factors, from the specifics of the situation to the training of the officers involved.

“The exploratory approach provides an in-depth understanding of these contextual factors and their interplay with the technology, thereby offering a richer and more nuanced evaluation than traditional methods.”

Dr Davies said the integration of BWCs, drones and AI in the evolving landscape of law enforcement marks a critical juncture in advancing policing strategies.

“The impetus for this integration is substantiated by the burgeoning adoption rates of these technologies, with most police departments in the USA now employing BWCs and a marked surge in the utilisation of drones for surveillance purposes,” she said.

Dr Davies explained how the BWC offers a personal account of incidents and interactions, providing an intimate understanding of the unfolding situation, while the drone supplements this perspective with a bird’s eye view of the scene.

“This synthesis of perspectives promises an enriched situational awareness, offering policing a comprehensive understanding of the incident,” she said.

“It is the synergistic function of these technologies that underpin the proposed framework. The BWC and drone operate in tandem, with the drone providing real-time aerial footage that complements the BWC’s ground-level view, the intelligence of both extended through the addition of AI pre- and post-incident insights for operational effectiveness.”

To facilitate a conceptual evaluation framework, the researchers propose the use of six key performance indicators (KPIs): situational awareness, evidence collection, safety, operational efficiency, ethical and privacy compliance, and training effectiveness.

Dr Davies said this study should be perceived as an initial, yet pivotal, contribution that not only introduces a new evaluative framework but also acts as a catalyst for ongoing research.

“The limitations we delineate signify the emergent nature of this field and should act as a catalyst for future scholarly and operational pursuits aimed at advancing intelligent policing practices that are both efficacious and attuned to the societal ramifications of technological integration,” she said.

“This study’s trajectory for future research is unequivocal: to empirically validate, refine, and standardise the integrated use of BWCs, drones and AI in policing, propelling law enforcement into a new epoch characterised by innovation and underpinned by rigorous empirical scrutiny.”

Dr Davies is recently returned from a four-year secondment to the Rabdan Academy in Abu Dhabi, where she was Program Chair for Policing and Security and Emergency Management.

Assistant Professor Ghaleb Krame is a faculty member in the Science in Policing and Security program at the Rabdan Academy, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.