Adaptation of technological development in the Police, the Police Security Service (PST) and The Higher Prosecuting Authorities

This report will contribute to the knowledge base that will form the basis for the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness' work with a national plan for the police, PST and the Higher Prosecution Authority, abbreviated to the police and prosecution services. The report deals with the opportunities that technological development has for the police and prosecution services, what it takes to utilize the technological opportunities and what changes and trade-offs will be decisive in such a technological transformation. The study has focused on process and organization, in addition to evaluating some selected, specific technologies. Technology is changing rapidly, and organizations must be able to handle such changes on an ongoing basis in order to maintain operational capability. The report reaches its conclusions through in-depth interviews with professionals, discussions from the ministry's professionals group, exchange of experience internationally and studies of relevant literature, as well the authors' specialist expertise. The study reveals that there is little room for research and development and establishing creative innovation environments in the police and prosecution services. Furthermore, there is too little knowledge and understanding of technology and its place in the police and prosecution services of the future, especially in top management. It results in small, scattered local investments and little interdisciplinary competence. Nevertheless, the interviews revealed that there are many ideas and a significant desire to use technology and develop solutions for improvement, and that cross-sectoral interaction and arenas for such interaction are in high demand. The report concludes that increased competence and understanding of technology at all levels of the police and prosecution services is necessary. R&D and innovation environments with accessible exchange and interaction arenas must be established across sectors and agencies. A common digital foundation must also be established that can be adapted to future technological solutions and is compatible with external actors. There is a need for a full technological transformation that affects all levels and parts of the services. A continuous development process best provides this. This entails a change in how the tasks are solved, how the work is organized, composition of employees and establishment of more interdisciplinary collaboration both within the services and externally towards other sectors, both domestically and abroad. Technology must become an integral part of all levels of the police and prosecution services. Despite the fact that one can expect greater costs in the short term, FFI believes that this gives the best effects and the lowest total cost in the long term. FFI provide eight recommendations for achieving the necessary adaptability. These recommendations range from strategic management and strengthening of technological competence, to increased investment in research, development and innovation, establishment of a common digital infrastructure that is compatible with external actors, to focus on external cooperation and the relation to the population's trust in the services.