Building Digital Trust

As law enforcement agencies seek to leverage emerging technology, they must make sure it is used legally, ethically, and transparently to enhance public safety while upholding the rights of all Americans. By educating communities about these new technologies, trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve will be upheld and strengthened. The National Policing Institute (NPI) has led national conversations on digital trust for more than six years. NPI looks forward to continuing this work by developing the Digital Trust & Innovation Center.

Project Overview

The Digital Trust & Innovation Center (DTIC) will serve as a one-stop shop for agencies looking to build digital trust and maintain accountability in their communities. To that end, the DTIC will provide agencies with a clearinghouse of resources; identify emerging trends, promising practices, and model programs that address digital trust; provide virtual and on-site reviews of existing department policies and procedures; and aid in the development of customized resources that ensure the protection of officers and the communities they serve.

Methodology

The NPI project team will interview specific technology and industry-related stakeholders to gain additional insight into the current technological innovations used by law enforcement. NPI will develop, administer, and interpret the results of a survey designed to understand the impact of police technology on communities. NPI will conduct one to three case studies with police agencies that are currently deploying innovative technologies to improve public safety and police efficiency (e.g., drones and robotics, AI, biometrics). Members of the project team will conduct site visits to agencies to examine how they are implemented, best practices, areas of opportunity, and the impact they have on agency operations and outcomes.

At the conclusion of the project, NPI will produce a resource toolkit that offers model frameworks and checklists for agencies looking to implement innovative technology within their departments. This toolkit will include considerations grounded in research, along with feedback from a one-day workshop session with law enforcement leaders, policy experts, and community stakeholders to provide multidisciplinary perspectives to the national discussion.

Project Resources

Coming soon

Project Publications

Coming soon

Service Area(s)

Staff Contact(s)

Elyse Hansen

Elyse Hansen, M.A.

Project Associate

Ryan Fisher

Ryan Fisher, PhD

Senior Research Manager

Colby Dolly

Colby Dolly, PhD

Director, Science & Innovation

Media Contact

Media inquiries should be directed to our Communications team at:

media@policinginstitute.org
202-833-1460

More Information

Project Status: Active

Project Period:  October 2022 -

Research Design: Non-experimental, Review of research

Research Method(s): Case study, Focus groups, Interviews, Observation / Participant observation, Surveys, Literature review

Service Area(s)

Staff Contact(s)

Elyse Hansen

Elyse Hansen, M.A.

Project Associate

Ryan Fisher

Ryan Fisher, PhD

Senior Research Manager

Colby Dolly

Colby Dolly, PhD

Director, Science & Innovation

Media Contact

 

Media inquiries should be directed to our Communications team at:

media@policinginstitute.org
202-833-1460