By Lawrence F. Zorio III
Last week, I had the privilege of attending the White House meeting on Modernizing Law Enforcement Data Collection, Use, and Transparency. The event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders across the public safety ecosystem—ranging from leading technology vendors and consultants to government officials and police department leaders.
Our core discussion focused on three transformative areas: Interoperability, Customer Experience, and Open Data – all critical to enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency, and transparency of law enforcement operations.
Interoperability was central to our discussions, and for good reason. Seamless data sharing is not just a lofty goal—it is the backbone of effective public safety. According to the Mark43 2025 U.S. Public Safety Trends Report survey, 88% of law enforcement professionals think that switching between multiple applications negatively impacts their efficiency, with 99% agreeing that a single, consolidated CAD and RMS platform that integrates all their data sources would be helpful.
One key theme that emerged was the importance of open APIs and the need for agencies to better utilize them for more efficient and integrated data sharing between systems. For too long, law enforcement agencies have struggled with fragmented CAD and RMS solutions that do not communicate with each other. When systems can share data seamlessly via APIs, it enables greater collaboration, reduces manual processes, and improves overall operational efficiency. At Mark43, we recognize this, which is why our cloud-native CAD and RMS systems are designed as the real-time foundation for public safety, enabling complete interoperability powered by our open API. Whether coordinating multi-agency responses or ensuring that critical data reaches the right people at the right time, our solutions break down silos and drive better outcomes for first responders and communities alike.
The second focus of our discussion was Customer Experience, which directly aligns with Mark43’s mission to design intuitive and user-friendly tools that support public safety professionals on the front lines. More specifically, we must recognize that today’s officers are part of a generation accustomed to the ease of modern consumer technology—such as Amazon apps and iPhones. The systems they rely on to do their jobs must meet these expectations with simple, intuitive interfaces.
Accessibility was another key theme echoed throughout the meeting: CAD and RMS systems must be easy to use, requiring minimal training. Mobile accessibility is now non-negotiable for many agencies, as officers need access to their systems anywhere, anytime. Technology vendors, including Mark43, must build solutions for the modern-day officer—providing intuitive, integrated, and mobile-friendly interfaces that enhance usability and efficiency in the field.
The need for mobile, cloud-native public safety technology has never been clearer. Survey data shows that 76% of law enforcement officers spend more than half their shifts completing paperwork, and the majority (65%) have had to return to a physical location to fill out reports—an increase of 7% year over year. Data entry should never feel like a burden. And first responders should not have to complete reports from behind a desk in a station house– they should have access to their systems of record on the go. Our user-centered design reduces friction, allowing officers to spend less time on technology and more time serving their communities.
Finally, Open Data emerged as a crucial pillar of transparency and community trust. The need for greater public transparency is especially important as more agencies and communities want easier access to crime data and statistics. During one of our brainstorming sessions, we discussed the power of collective data sharing across smaller agencies –such as the consortium model—and how it can enable better collaboration, resource allocation and smarter decision making. Open data can also improve an agency’s access to grants through more accurate and thorough data capturing and sharing at the federal and state levels. Lastly, the FBI’s upcoming N-DEx Certification program was highlighted as an important step in this direction. With the right crime data exchange systems in place, agencies can share detailed analytics leading to faster and more coordinated response.
In April 2024, the OMB announced revisions to its guidance framework to make it easier for agencies to secure grants and other technology funding through enhanced data and evidence-building. In the November 2024 issue of IACP Police Chief Magazine, Dr. Eric Dlugolenski and James Williams outline five strategies for supercharging data and evidence-building practices in accordance with the new OMB Guidance. Most notably, they emphasize the importance of strengthening data infrastructure to improve federal grant proposals, which can help support broader agency goals and budgets. The article also highlights the value of upgrading data standards, such as the NIBRS, for federal reporting. These upgrades will bolster programs that target a wide range of issues, from violence to elder fraud, improving both data quality and outcomes across the board. These insights from IACP align with key opportunity areas identified during our White House discussion, particularly the emphasis on strengthening and fostering an open data infrastructure across agencies.
In line with this shift, Mark43’s solutions empower agencies to share timely, detailed information not only with neighboring agencies and state and federal partners but also with the public. In fact, the recent survey revealed that 83% of first responders think that there should be greater crime data and statistics transparency with the public, up 26% since 2022. By consolidating and aggregating data through our open API and built-in NIBRS compliance, public safety agencies can seamlessly share real-time data across the platform—both internally and externally—enabling faster and more coordinated responses, enhanced community relations and better situational awareness.
This approach fosters operational continuity and builds accountability through informed dialogue. Open Data is more than just publishing statistics—it’s about enabling meaningful engagement between communities and their public safety leaders, strengthening trust, and driving positive outcomes.
This meeting was just the beginning—it was a valuable step forward to align the efforts of key stakeholders, and now it is time to focus on core priorities to move the needle. These include cloud adoption and open APIs, which will be essential to improving the technology that public safety agencies procure.
Mark43 is dedicated to advancing this important work with the group of visionary leaders convened at the White House. We are excited to continue collaborating with IJIS and the FBI to modernize public safety technology nationwide. Together, we will chart the path forward, shaping a smarter, safer, secure, and more connected future for public safety technology.
