Using data to build trust with the community
Recently, Mark43 named a new Board of Advisors made up of leading voices in the field of law enforcement and information technology. We sat down with each of them and asked them three questions about their new roles with us. Next up: Edward Davis.
Edward F. Davis is a former commissioner of the Boston Police Department who led the highly successful response to the Boston Marathon bombing. Mr. Davis has worked in law enforcement for more than 35 years. He was superintendent of the Lowell Massachusetts Police Department where he began his career as a patrol officer. He is currently the president and CEO of the Edward Davis Company which specializes in business and security services.
What do you see as some of the most urgent issues at the intersection of public safety and technology?
The biggest challenge in policing is reestablishing trust with the community, especially with communities of color. Any effort to increase transparency is a step in the right direction. One of the mainstays of community policing is neighborhood meetings, officers getting to know people in the neighborhood. It has to go beyond friendly conversation, however – public safety needs to really engage with people. At those meetings, people want real information about what is happening in their community. They want someone who can put that information into context. They also want someone to tell them what they can do to help the police in getting things accomplished. So that sets the stage for partnerships. If you give officers data that they can use to develop a plan with their supervisor to address what the community needs are, that goes a long way.
If you give officers data that they can use to develop a plan with their supervisor to address what the community needs are, that goes a long way.
Why did you decide to join the Mark43 Advisory Board? What sets Mark43 apart from other public safety technology partners?
The founders of this company have impressed me since I first met them when I was with the Boston Police. They were dedicated to helping public safety. We were lagging behind in technology, and here were these three young men who decided to do something for their community, to help the community by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of police departments. I was also struck by their ability to deliver. They get things done. Mark43 has the best products on the market right now, and I say this as someone who has implemented 3 different RMS and CAD systems in my career.
What is a trend you expect to see more of in the future of public safety technology?
Technology is growing by leaps and bounds, but there are two things that excite me about the next two years:
- Big data will play an enormous role in policing. Specifically in transparency, which means records of both misconduct and good conduct will be widely available to people, and the community will have a really good handle on who is working for them
- The conflict between privacy groups and the use of technology in policing will require a government-led conversation that will set the ground rules on what police can do and what they can’t do. These last few years have seen a real concern among police executives across the country, who have felt that their hands are tied when trying to field new technology. They are uncertain of the ground rules, and until there is certainty I think this privacy-data challenge will loom large over the next couple of years.
Mark43 works in partnership with more than 120 public safety agencies across the globe, providing them with new technologies that enable officers to spend more time in the field with the community. Interested in learning more? Fill out this form to receive a personalized demo.
