This blog was written by Mark McCluskie, Director of Business Development – UK, Mark43
UK police forces are rethinking operations—from reporting to resource deployment—driven by a simple truth: public safety requires modern systems
Legacy platforms are outdated, costly, and hard to integrate. To make lasting progress, many forces are turning to cloud-native technology—not just cloud-hosted systems—as the foundation for sustainable transformation.
Reimagining Infrastructure for Frontline Impact
Transitioning to cloud-native platforms isn’t only about where systems are hosted—it’s about how they function, who they serve, and how easily they evolve. This shift enables smarter decisions and better results, both operationally and strategically.
Forces that simply “lift and shift” legacy systems into hosted environments often retain the same limitations: inflexible data structures, slow updates, and poor scalability. In contrast, cloud-native systems deliver seamless innovation, real-time data access, and interoperability—while maintaining high levels of security and resilience.
This shift to cloud-native systems enables:
Continuous enhancements and real-time data sharing
Reduced IT overheard with built-in resilience
Transparent, efficient workflows across teams
Early adopters in the UK are already seeing results. By moving to cloud-native systems, they’re streamlining workflows, improving officer efficiency, and building greater trust with the communities they serve.
Some key lessons from these technology transitions include:
Design around the frontline, not the back office: Tools must fit operational realities, not just tick enterprise boxes.
Procurement needs to support innovation: Forces are revisiting traditional models to support platform-based, agile delivery.
Change management is crucial: Long-term success and adoption depends on leadership, training, and a strong support structure.
Security and sovereignty are non-negotiable: Hosting and architecture must align with UK data standards from the outset.
“Policing is evolving rapidly, and our systems must keep pace,” said Sir George Hamilton, former Chief Constable of PSNI and strategic advisor to Mark43. “Cloud-native platforms aren’t just an IT upgrade—they’re the foundation for more agile, data-driven public safety. Forces that embrace this shift will be better positioned to meet rising policing demands and build deeper community trust.”
Cloud-Native vs. Cloud-Hosted: Why It Matters
While often used interchangeably, “cloud-native” and “cloud-hosted” are not the same—and the difference is mission-critical.
Cloud-native systems are purpose-built for the cloud. They offer elastic scalability, seamless updates, and real-time interoperability from day one. Just as public safety needs evolve, these systems evolve too —whether that’s scaling rapidly, integrating new capabilities, or enabling immediate access to critical data during an incident. In addition, cloud-native platforms:
Power life-saving response when every second counts
Support continuous operational improvement
And reduce reliance on costly, one-size-fits-all solutions
Cloud-native isn’t just a technical distinction—it’s a strategic advantage. It enables faster time to value, continuous upgrades, and infrastructure built for both resilience and rapid innovation. For UK forces, that’s often the difference between reactive and proactive policing. – Matt Polega, Mark43 Co-founder, President, and Managing Director, UK.
Looking Ahead: A Strategic Shift in UK Policing
This is more than a tech refresh—it’s reimagining what public safety infrastructure must be. As UK police forces confront rising demands and limited resources, investing in adaptive, resilient, and secure cloud-native platforms is the path to sustainable progress.
The debate is no longer whether cloud-native technology has a role in policing, it’s how we procure it and implement it. Cloud-native solutions deliver speed, resilience, and continuous improvement without disrupting frontline operations. This is progress UK policing needs today. – Sir George Hamilton.
Whether you’re a CIO re-evaluating IT architecture, a procurement lead navigating new frameworks, or a frontline officer advocating for better tools—this shift is already in motion. The question is how quickly and confidently we embrace it.
NEW YORK – August 19, 2025 – Today, Mark43, the leading public safety operations platform, announced its partnership with Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) to enhance officer efficiency, compliance, streamline report writing and promote more data-informed policing. To replace its two decades old on-premises legacy system, JCSO is set to deploy Mark43’s industry-leading Records Management System (RMS), OnScene (mobile application) and Analytics. This marks Mark43’s entry into Colorado and a new era of modern public safety technology.
Nestled along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, just west of Denver, Jefferson County features a diverse landscape covering both plains and foothills. With over 800 employees, including 535 state-certified deputies, the JCSO patrols and protects a community of more than 550,000 residents. They operate the county jail that houses an average of 800 inmates daily and manages a fleet of more than 100 patrol vehicles, serving as a hub for coordination across neighboring municipalities.
“Upgrading our current system is essential,” shared Sheriff Reggie Marinelli at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. “Our deputies need reliable and easy-to-use tools that support the demands of modern public safety. Mark43 will help us work more efficiently, improve coordination with regional partners, and give us more time to focus on serving our community.”
“We want our technology to be like oxygen for our deputies, you don’t notice it’s there, it just works,” shared Ely S. Garza, IT Director at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. “Managing the county jail adds complexity to our operations, so we need systems that integrate seamlessly internally and with our regional partners. Mark43’s cloud-native platform will serve as a force multiplier that lets us focus on what matters most, keeping our community safe and being ready for whatever challenge comes our way.”
“We’re proud to partner with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office as our first customer in Colorado,” said Bob Hughes, CEO of Mark43. “This marks the beginning of a new era of smarter, more resilient public safety technology across the state. With our cloud-native and AI powered RMS, JCSO is well positioned to improve efficiency, support data-driven decisions and enhance community outcomes. We’re honored to support Sheriff Marinelli and her team in their mission to serve and protect.”
Mark43 RMS, built on AWS GovCloud, will provide JCSO with a secure, intuitive system to reduce report-writing time, improve data accuracy, and ensure compliance with the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). “Today, our records unit has a one-to-one relationship with every report. The time-consuming process includes manually reading, keying, and correcting each report individually. With Mark43, the move from fixing errors to simply monitoring them will free up time and allow our team to focus on our mission-critical work,” shared Garza. He added, “Right now, NIBRS compliance is an arduous process. This is where Mark43 truly stands out…it’s going to be a game changer for us.”
Security and CJIS compliance were also central to JCSO’s decision to partner with Mark43. “From a technology standpoint, CJIS is our North Star,” said Garza. “We measure every decision against it, and Mark43 shares that same commitment to protecting sensitive data. Security isn’t just a checkbox; it is a core reason why we chose Mark43.”
Mark43 OnScene will empower deputies to begin writing, reviewing and submitting reports directly from their mobile devices, allowing for faster, more accurate reporting. With the ability to quickly attach evidence and multimedia, report writing and case management becomes more comprehensive and efficient. “Our current mobile capabilities are virtually nonexistent,” said Garza. “With Mark43, we expect to unlock entirely new opportunities for mobile process improvement starting with patrol and eventually expanding across all our units.”
Mark43 Analytics will power data-driven policing and reporting across the JCSO and community. “We aspire to be a data-driven agency, but one of our biggest challenges has been the amount of duplicative data entry, simply because our current systems don’t communicate with each other,” shared Garza. “Mark43 Analytics will serve as a single pane of glass. We see a real opportunity to break down barriers, reduce inefficiencies, and unlock what’s truly possible for our officers.”
JCSO is stepping forward as a regional technology innovator, driving smarter, faster community safety. “Officers shouldn’t have to be tech experts… they need tools that support their work, not complicate it. Mark43’s focus on delivering a streamlined, stable, and future-ready system gives us confidence that we’re investing in something that will grow with us,” said Garza.
Mark43 co-founder Matthew Polega joined Leyla Gulen on FOX24 News Now to share how Mark43 is breaking down silos and helping agencies respond together in real time.
To compete in a fast-moving, global marketplace, businesses must be able to make quick, informed decisions—and that requires robust, accurate data. Internal data offers critical insights into an organization’s operations and customer behavior. Combining it with public data can reveal broader market context, helping leaders identify consumer trends, demographic shifts and other emerging patterns.
But realizing the value of public data takes more than simply adding it to an existing dataset. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council share best practices—and cautionary advice—for organizations looking to strengthen decision-making through the strategic use of internal and public data.
1. Ensure Insights Are Actionable
Don’t dump combined datasets on every desk. Transform public-internal data fusion into simple, actionable insights anyone can use. Your store manager doesn’t need raw demographic data—they need “foot traffic will spike 40% this weekend due to local events.” Your product team doesn’t need social media firehoses—they need “X is causing frustration.” Make insights self-serve and decision-ready for everyone. – Marc Fischer, Dogtown Media LLC
2. Shift From Reactive To Proactive
When you combine internal data with trusted live public data, you must shift from being reactive to proactive. To navigate emerging risks, it’s critical to have a complete, real-time view of what’s happening inside your business and what’s unfolding externally in the world around you. You can then turn insight into action by operationalizing the data and building the appropriate workflows. – Brian Gumbel, Dataminr
3. Integrate Population Averages With Individual Data
Learn how to integrate data from population averages that you see on the internet or in industry publications with individual-level data that you observe in your company. For example, a healthcare company may have information on drug effectiveness from a clinical publication, but for its trial, it’s observing patient-level outcomes. If you learn how to do that well, you may be able to enroll fewer patients! – Eric Novik, Generable Inc.
4. Enhance Decisions Through Cross-Validation
Both data types are important in their own right but are made stronger with validation from the other. Public data enhances decision-making by showcasing both similarities and differences between your operation and the outside world. It enables both the acceptance and mitigation of things coming down the line. – Georgia Leybourne, Linnworks
5. Start With The Decision
Start with the decision, not the data. If you view the process through that lens, the data will likely be more relevant and of higher quality, as you’re using public data sources based on impact, not just availability. This strategy is also likely to lead to faster adoption as stakeholders see the value of leveraging public and private data to drive the decision outcomes they care about. – Igor Rikalo, o9 Solutions
6. Anchor Integration In Business Objectives
Always anchor the integration of public data in clear business objectives. Ensure the external datasets directly complement or challenge your internal information. Focus on robust data mapping and validation—this prevents misleading correlations and ensures actionable insights, ultimately transforming combined data into strategic clarity and stronger, data-driven decisions. – Aravind Nuthalapati, Microsoft
7. Prioritize Internal Data Preparation
Public data may seem easier to use in the short term because of its accessibility. It takes time to sort, cleanse and properly categorize internal data. However, when the proper care is taken to prepare the internal data, it will typically produce more reliable and helpful results. Advice: Don’t take shortcuts—do the hard work to incorporate your internal data, as it will pay off in the end. – Amy Brown, Authenticx
8. Establish A Clear Goal And Seamless Data-Sharing Systems
Start with a clear goal and modern, cloud-native systems that enable seamless data sharing. When agencies combine internal data—like dispatch and records—with public sources such as demographics and traffic data, the real value comes from context: understanding what the data says and what it means. Through intelligent data insights come enhanced operations, transparency and community safety. – Matthew Polega, Mark43
9. Surface Internal Bias
Internal data often hides bias from historical decisions. Use public datasets not just for validation, but also to teach your systems and teams where internal blind spots lie. For example, if your sales projections ignore demographic shifts seen in census data, you’re forecasting in a vacuum. Making public data a dissenting voice sharpens objectivity in high-stakes decisions. – Jagadish Gokavarapu, Wissen Infotech
10. Implement A Data Governance Plan
Setting up a data governance plan is imperative. A data governance plan ensures that the right data is being mixed in at the right time. While businesses may gain greater insight from public agency data by combining it with their internal data, they must ensure both data sources have been properly cleansed, standardized and aligned for proper assessment. – Asad Khan, LambdaTest Inc.
11. Work Toward Higher-Quality Knowledge
Recognize that increasingly higher-quality knowledge—not just data—is essential for achieving quality decision support, especially as you start to leverage generative AI. Knowledge is a different game altogether and has its own practices and challenges. – Leonard Lee, neXt Curve
12. Connect Disparate Data To Scale AI
Building a connected data foundation is essential for scaling artificial intelligence capabilities in any organization. In the consumer packaged goods industry, for instance, this means integrating zero-party, first-party, second-party and third-party data with internal data sources. – Deepak Jose, Niagara Bottling
13. Compare Before You Combine
Don’t combine external data with internal data for metrics. Start by comparing the two to identify any variances in baseline values. And always take outside data with a grain of salt. – Jeff Bruce, Quality Claims Solutions
14. Use External Benchmarks To Add Context To Internal Performance
Public data provides a broader view, while internal data delivers detailed insights. The real value emerges when you use external benchmarks to give context to your internal performance. For instance, analyzing how your customer retention compares to industry churn trends can reveal whether a dip is unique to your business or reflective of a larger market movement. – Pratik Badri, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
15. Mitigate Privacy And Security Risks
When you combine public and internal data, you amplify privacy and security risks. More data points mean more vulnerability to breaches and the risk of noncompliance with regulations like the GDPR. The solution lies in a multifaceted approach: Classify your data, use role-based access controls, and anonymize or pseudonymize data (that is, strip away or mask personal identifiers where possible). – Konstantin Klyagin, Redwerk
16. Normalize And Align Data
Prior to analysis, make sure that your internal data and public data are normalized and contextually aligned. This improves the relevance of insights for strategic decision-making, permits accurate comparisons and lessens bias. – Jyoti Shah, ADP
17. Use Context-Aware AI
Use context-aware AI to fuse public and internal data and significantly boost decision accuracy. For example, Google’s AI fuses market signals with sales data, dynamically prioritizing relevance. Align KPIs and validate sources to drive predictive strategies and achieve big savings in a high-stakes analytics market. – Durga Krishnamoorthy, Cognizant Technology Solutions
18. Define Clear Objectives And Use Cases
To effectively combine public and internal data, begin by defining clear business goals and use cases. Know the questions you aim to answer and the insights you seek. This focus ensures relevant integration. Maintain strong data quality and governance to handle complexity, mitigate risks and support informed, evidence-based decision-making throughout the organization. – Dileep Rai, Hachette Book Group
19. Build A Dynamic Knowledge Engine
Treat public data as fresh, real-time signals and internal data as structured knowledge (think decision logic, tribal workflows and proprietary context). Build a composite knowledge engine that indexes, vectorizes and fuses both dynamically based on use cases. This enables context-rich, time-sensitive decisions powered by both domain-specific and adaptive intelligence. – Karen Kim, Human Managed
20. Focus On Context Engineering
The key is context engineering: Thoughtfully link public data points to your internal metrics. Don’t just merge; understand why a public trend matters to your specific internal operations. This deeper connection reveals hidden insights, strengthens predictions and empowers smarter, data-driven decisions. Establish clear data lineage for all integrated sources. – Anil Pantangi, Capgemini America Inc.
A platform for intelligent policing operations has launched a new office in Manchester as part of its UK investment.
Mark43 will open the office at 24 Mount Street, which will serve as a regional hub for its UK operations.
The site will bring the company closer to the frontline police forces it serves and enables deeper collaboration with its UK partners.
Chief executive Bob Hughes said: “We’re proud to be firmly rooted in the UK, and our growing presence reflects our long-term commitment to supporting police forces nationwide.
“Manchester gives our UK team and expanding partner ecosystem a hub to drive innovation and delivery. From faster, more accurate report writing to smarter, real-time operational tools, we’re committed to helping forces serve their communities with greater efficiency and impact.”
Matt Polega, Mark43 co-founder, president and managing director UK, said: “We’re incredibly excited to build on this momentum and chart the path forward together in the digital transformation of UK public safety, and we’re committed to being a trusted partner every step of the way.”
Cloud-based public safety platform provider, Mark43 has opened a new regional office in Manchester, strengthening its presence in the UK and deepening its work with police forces across the country.
The new base will act as a hub for Mark43’s growing UK team and its network of partners, offering a closer point of contact for frontline policing operations and enabling more collaboration on digital transformation projects.
The move follows the company’s partnership with Cumbria Constabulary and reflects its broader ambitions in the UK market. Mark43 says it is continuing to engage with other forces around modernising command and control, improving real-time situational awareness and reducing administrative burden.
“We’re proud to be firmly rooted in the UK, and our growing presence reflects our long-term commitment to supporting police forces nationwide. Manchester gives our UK team and expanding partner ecosystem a hub to drive innovation and delivery. From faster, more accurate report writing to smarter, real-time operational tools, we’re committed to helping forces serve their communities with greater efficiency and impact.” – Bob Hughes, CEO of Mark43.
The announcement comes shortly after the company hosted a DDaT Forum in London, which brought together policing leaders, government agencies and tech partners to discuss digital opportunities in public safety. It also follows the appointment of Mark43 Co-Founder Matt Polega as Managing Director UK, and a wave of recruitment to build local capacity.
“I’m thrilled to be leading our efforts on the ground as we continue to grow our UK-based team and a rapidly expanding partner ecosystem. We’re incredibly excited to build on this momentum and chart the path forward together in the digital transformation of UK public safety, and we’re committed to being a trusted partner every step of the way.” – Matt Polega, Co-Founder, President and Managing Director UK, Mark43.
Mark43’s platform includes records management, command and control, and analytics tools, underpinned by open APIs and built on a true-cloud foundation. The company says its approach supports faster reporting, improved decision-making and more effective resource management, while also easing administrative pressures on officers.
Mark43, the leading platform for intelligent policing operations, has announced the opening of a new office at 24 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 3NX, further supporting police forces with easy-to-use technology.
The new office will serve as a regional hub for Mark43’s UK operations, bringing the company closer to the frontline police forces it serves.
Police can be contacted on 101. Photo: Pacemaker
This announcement follows the appointment of Matt Polega, Co-Founder and President of Mark43, as the Managing Director UK, as well as a recent hiring spree of UK-based talent.
Mark43 CEO Bob Hughes, said: “We’re proud to be firmly rooted in the UK, and our growing presence reflects our long-term commitment to supporting police forces nationwide.”
Adding: “Manchester gives our UK team and expanding partner ecosystem a hub to drive innovation and delivery. From faster, more accurate report writing to smarter, real-time operational tools, we’re committed to helping forces serve their communities with greater efficiency and impact.”
Matt Polega, Mark43 Co-Founder, President and Managing Director UK, said: “I’m thrilled to be leading our efforts on the ground as we continue to grow our UK-based team and a rapidly expanding partner ecosystem.”
Adding: “We’re incredibly excited to build on this momentum and chart the path forward together in the digital transformation of UK public safety, and we’re committed to being a trusted partner every step of the way.”
Joseph Beaden, Head of Creative, Digital and Tech at MIDAS, said: “Mark43’s decision to choose Greater Manchester for its UK expansion is excellent news.”
Adding: “Our city-region’s advanced digital infrastructure, collaborative business environment, and deep talent pool make it the ideal location for innovative companies to scale. Mark43 is a great example of a growing SME delivering practical, tech-driven solutions that enhance frontline public services and improve outcomes for our residents.”
Mark43 provides police forces with a platform for public safety operations, including Records Management (RMS), Command and Control, advanced analytics and AI capabilities that enables real-time situational awareness, streamlined report writing, and actionable insights.
Mark43, the intelligent platform for public safety operations, has been named a finalist in the 2025 SaaS Awards in the Best Use of SaaS in a Cloud Ecosystem category. The international awards program recognizes software excellence and innovation across all verticals and industries. Winners will be announced in August 2025.
This recognition reflects Mark43’s commitment to delivering mission-critical, cloud-native technology to public safety agencies across the U.S. and U.K. By leveraging the power of the cloud ecosystem, Mark43 enables first responders to collaborate, operate, and respond with speed and precision. The company’s secure, resilient and scalable platform is trusted by hundreds of police, fire, and EMS agencies to keep communities safe. Mark43 is proud to be recognized alongside global innovators driving the future of SaaS. For more information, visit https://www.cloud-awards.com/2025-saas-awards-finalists.
Manchester, UK – July 17, 2025 – Mark43, the leading platform for intelligent policing operations, today announced the opening of a new office at 24 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 3NX, further solidifying its investment in the UK and commitment to supporting police forces with modern, resilient, and easy-to-use technology.
The new office will serve as a regional hub for Mark43’s UK operations, bringing the company closer to the frontline police forces it serves and enabling deeper collaboration with its ecosystem of UK partners. Following its partnership with Cumbria Constabulary, Mark43 continues to expand its work with other forces across the UK.
This announcement comes on the heels of a successful Mark43-hosted DDaT Forum in London earlier this month, attended by more than one-third of the country’s police forces, representatives from government agencies and policing leaders. It also follows the appointment of Matt Polega, Co-Founder and President of Mark43, as the Managing Director UK, as well as a recent hiring spree of UK-based talent.
“We’re proud to be firmly rooted in the UK, and our growing presence reflects our long-term commitment to supporting police forces nationwide,” said Mark43 CEO Bob Hughes. “Manchester gives our UK team and expanding partner ecosystem a hub to drive innovation and delivery. From faster, more accurate report writing to smarter, real-time operational tools, we’re committed to helping forces serve their communities with greater efficiency and impact.”
“I’m thrilled to be leading our efforts on the ground as we continue to grow our UK-based team and a rapidly expanding partner ecosystem,” said Matt Polega, Mark43 Co-Founder, President and Managing Director UK. “We’re incredibly excited to build on this momentum and chart the path forward together in the digital transformation of UK public safety, and we’re committed to being a trusted partner every step of the way.”
“Mark43’s decision to choose Greater Manchester for its UK expansion is excellent news,” said Joseph Beaden, Head of Creative, Digital and Tech at MIDAS. “Our city-region’s advanced digital infrastructure, collaborative business environment, and deep talent pool make it the ideal location for innovative companies to scale. Mark43 is a great example of a growing SME delivering practical, tech-driven solutions that enhance frontline public services and improve outcomes for our residents.”
Mark43 provides police forces with a platform for public safety operations, including Records Management (RMS), Command and Control, advanced analytics and AI capabilities that enables real-time situational awareness, streamlined report writing, and actionable insights. These capabilities support police forces in responding faster, managing resources more effectively, and making data-driven decisions that improve safety outcomes for communities.
Mark43’s public safety platform is designed to reduce administrative burden, improve interoperability, and enhance officer wellbeing. Built on a true-cloud foundation with open, well-documented APIs, the platform fosters seamless data-sharing across forces to break down silos and improve collaboration. Its agile, scalable architecture allows for rapid upgrades and continuous delivery of new features, ensuring operational stability and modern functionality without costly delays. With a proven record of predictable, fast, cost-effective implementations, Mark43 avoids budget overruns while delivering measurable value. Mark43 is empowering UK forces with modern tools that strengthen intelligence capabilities and ultimately enhance community safety outcomes.
