Insights into the Next Generation of Policing: Understanding the Impact updates of Technology on the Police Force in the Digital Age

Technological advancements have caused major changes in policing, in fact, we can say that it has transformed police work in the twenty-first century. Technology has made policing more efficient, productive and enabled them with new ways to keep safe whilst also communicate and interact. However, whilst most of these technological advancements have been beneficial to the police, some features continue to create adverse effects (i.e. these have created many new types of digital/cybercrimes) which are creating immense challenges for the police force. One of these challenges is the increased need to understand and use digital evidence. Police are now required to keep up with the fast-evolving technological world in order to catch criminals, protect society and reduce crime. This chapter gives a glimpse into the changes in the police environment with a particular focus on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data in policing. It will share insights around the challenges of digital policing such as public security and individual rights; transparency of evidence and the black box effect; efficiency and legality of law enforcement; and emerging crimes and lagging laws. Finally, this chapter discusses the digital police future and all the potential benefits of predictive policing, digital collaboration and VR training, to name a few.