What are the Police Predictions that will impact law enforcement for the next decade. Departments need to have their crystal balls ready for some of the strategic planning that they need to do. Technology is changing quickly. A police officer’s job isn’t easy – it can often be dangerous, stressful, and difficult. It can take a toll on officers’ personal lives and health as well. But their work on the force keeps people safe and helps keep order in their communities. In 2022, what challenges will police departments face? Let’s look at some of the top trends that will affect them over the next decade to find out more!
How will the role of drones change?
Drones will be used by crime investigators and government officials, who will use them to carry out surveillance or deliver parcels. They may even be used in active shootouts and warfare, although it is unlikely that they will replace people on a large scale in any capacity. Drones will also become more common in rescue missions and fires; dropping firefighting equipment, water and life rafts onto locations which would otherwise be inaccessible to humans. Alternatively, drones may be used to intercept criminals fleeing from scenes of crime or other dangerous scenarios.
How will autonomous vehicles change policing?
By the end of the decade some experts believe over half of Americans will have driverless cars. The widespread adoption of autonomous vehicles (AV) will bring sweeping changes to cities. But perhaps nowhere is that more evident than in law enforcement. The old method of policing—stopping suspicious vehicles and questioning drivers—will be rendered obsolete by a machine-driven world where all drivers are naturally suspicious. Police departments will have to reevaluate their methodologies from top to bottom. What should cops do when all vehicles are AV?
How will artificial intelligence change policing?
We’re already seeing how AI and machine learning can be applied to the field of law enforcement. IBM’s Watson is being used to improve public safety by aiding in crime prevention and even predicting where and when crimes are likely to occur. Some major U.S. cities like Chicago are beginning to experiment with predictive policing models that have seen positive results, as well.
Police Predictions on Data
Recent innovations in law enforcement technology offer an array of new tools to help police do their jobs. We’ve seen improvements in body cameras, big data collection, predictive analytics and artificial intelligence. This should empower patrol officers by providing them with a wealth of information that can be deployed quickly when responding to incidents. Police officers will be able to better prioritize calls based on everything from weather conditions and traffic incidents to gang activity and social media threats.
How will cyberwarfare impact policing?
Already, we’ve seen hackers targeting organizations like banks and power grids. In years to come, we can expect similar attacks to expand into policing. Police departments could be completely hobbled by a cyber attack if it attacked the various systems that police use.