By: Matt Polega
Matt Polega is a cofounder and president at Mark43, a leading cloud-based public safety software company.
In public safety, technology can strengthen job satisfaction, improve outcomes and help agencies compete for talent in a field where staffing shortages have reached new highs.
It can cut the other way, too.
In October, my company surveyed nearly 500 U.S. public safety professionals. The research found that officers, dispatchers and analysts are struggling with outdated technology, including 77% who note that repetitive or outdated processes slow their ability to serve the community, and 56% who say legacy technology is a major contributor to staffing shortages.
These are some of the reasons that, despite technology modernization gaining traction, emergency communication center workers are facing unprecedented burnout.
Meanwhile, the International Association of Chiefs of Police found in 2024 that more than 70% of member agencies said recruitment is more difficult now than in the recent past. On average, agencies operate at about 91% of authorized staffing levels.
In other words, public safety professionals don’t necessarily leave the job because they lack purpose. Too often, they leave because outdated systems make it harder to do meaningful work.
Technology decisions absolutely influence who joins, who stays and who thrives. Here are five things public safety organizations can do to appeal to and keep top talent:
1. Treat mobility and automation as workforce investments, not IT upgrades.
People experience mobility and automation in their daily lives. When employers don’t provide modern tools, the gap is immediately noticeable.
Investment in technology is an investment in people.
Systems designed to be accessed by mobile devices help first responders access critical data in the field and act in real time, while dispatch tracks their locations. That can translate into higher productivity, fewer administrative bottlenecks and better safety. AI-powered reporting and investigations can give more time to serve, automating administrative work and delivering insights so professionals can focus on the mission rather than paperwork.
My organization’s survey found that 92% of first responders think mobile and cloud systems can help mitigate staffing shortages. Another study found that, for half of employees, working at a place that prioritizes well-being is more important than getting a 10% pay raise.
For a 22-year-old considering a career as a police officer, dispatcher or firefighter, easy-to-use technology can be a meaningful differentiator when so many other career paths are less stressful and risky. Yet the reality is that the public often has better access to top technology.
When first responders are equipped with tools that help them do their job, they work more efficiently and feel valued, capable and connected to their mission. This is particularly true for young professionals, who see modern technology as a given, not a perk.
2. Consolidate fragmented systems to improve workflows and morale.
In conversations with chiefs, tech leaders and frontline personnel, I hear the same frustration: too many systems and time lost navigating technology instead of serving the public.
Eighty-nine percent of first responders say switching between applications hurts efficiency, 99% must manually transfer data between systems. The same amount—99%—say having a single platform integrating all data sources would be helpful.
People expect seamless, intuitive experiences. Public safety professionals are no exception.
3. Understand that AI is at a turning point, and use it thoughtfully.
The last decade has required many agencies to do more with less. Often, people looked to technology for the solution. But, to date, people could only expect marginal improvements.
AI can make significant productivity improvements possible at the same level of investment. When human-centered and rooted in accountability, AI can be a people play and a force multiplier. A dispatcher could have five AI agents, with agentic AI handling the more mundane aspects of work while people take care of the jobs that require the human element.
AI adoption today is on a similar trajectory to where body cameras were in 2014, just before widespread adoption reshaped policing nationwide.
4. Enable interoperability, data sharing and response.
Public safety is a team sport. That makes interoperability among public safety platforms and technologies like body cameras, drones and license plate readers non-negotiable. Enabling collaboration across boundaries is also essential; interoperability is key to making that happen.
During high-stress incidents or even the daily grind, the last thing first responders should worry about is whether systems from different vendors will communicate effectively.
In a world where even the most thoughtful leaders don’t know what to expect six months out, the best thing you can optimize for is flexibility.
5. Illuminate, secure and train.
When adopting technology, agencies often face real constraints, including budget, cybersecurity concerns and limited training capacity. Those challenges should be addressed head-on. New tech without the right policy, process and implementation won’t solve any crisis, much less one of staffing. Training, evangelization and security are cornerstones of doing this right.
To address these issues, they should:
• Make the people and budget case. Getting buy-in to modernize technology can be difficult. Clear this hurdle by clearly articulating the value gained—the time savings effectively returning people to the force—to overcome understaffing and resource constraints. Agency leaders should reframe technology as a workforce strategy rather than only a line item.
• Take cybersecurity seriously. In 2025, at least 44 states reported cyber incidents affecting state and local government systems. Agencies should ask if vendors have embraced the Secure by Design principles, employ single sign-on and multifactor authentication. While headlines often focus on external threats, internal risk is just as real. Strong controls and clear access policies are essential.
• Invest in training, not just tools. Too often, staff are left to train themselves on new platforms. Organizations see better ROI when they dedicate resources to training and create environments where people feel supported. Clear processes, ongoing education and open feedback channels empower teams to use tools confidently and effectively.
Technology decisions can shape who stays on the force and how well agencies are equipped to serve communities. Today, technology is not just about efficiency. It’s about recruitment, retention, culture and, as always, empowering the public safety workforce to keep their communities safer.
Original Story: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbestechcouncil/2026/02/19/how-technology-can-help-address-the-public-safety-talent-crisis/
