Today’s law enforcement professionals face unprecedented challenges as technology rapidly emerges and changes. Offenders are using the latest technology to operate efficiently and cover their tracks, from cybercrimes that compromise personal information and muddy the jurisdictional waters to complex drug operations running within the shadows of their communities. The number of internet-enabled devices such as personal fitness bands or smart appliances—even children’s toys—that collect and record many forms of digital information are providing law enforcement with more and more sources of digital evidence.  While law enforcement rises to challenge every day, they need the tools and strategies to keep up in an evolving landscape.

The 2017 IACP Technology Conference, sponsored by the IACP Law Enforcement Information Management (LEIM) Section (May 22-24, 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri) is designed to do just that. Featuring 3 plenary sessions, 30 workshops, and an exhibit floor, attendees will be able to hear practitioners and industry experts share best practices and lessons learned in the innovative application of technology to improve officer safety and public safety, enhance efficiency and effectiveness of operations, and build enterprise-wide information sharing capabilities.

Workshops at the conference cover a broad array of law enforcement technology topics, and to aid attendees in selecting which workshops to attend, the Technology Conference educational program is organized into three tracks: Executive, Operational, and Technical. Sessions in the Executive Track include high-level discussions about the policy, operational, and legal considerations an agency should evaluate when implementing or managing a technology program. The Operational Track focuses on the planning, implementation, and management of technology projects. Sessions in the Technical Track discuss the technical side of projects, including data sharing, encryption, hardware, software, and much more.

The theme of this year’s conference is “Smart Communities = Safe Communities.” Technology is no longer in its own unique silo; it now plays an integral role in day-to-day policing with operational tools like body-worn cameras and CCTVs to digital evidence collection and using community informatics to identify traffic flow trends. The conference theme builds upon the smart cities concept of integrating multiple information and communication solutions to enhance the quality, performance, and interactivity of law enforcement services; reduce costs and resource requirements; and improve contacts between community members and government, regardless of agency or community type.

“Smart Communities = Safe Communities” also reflects the reality that federal, state, county, and municipal governments and law enforcement agencies across the country must work together to connect and share relevant public safety information. As with law enforcement agencies, information technology professionals, whether employed by a law enforcement or government agency, face various challenges depending on location, budgets, and existing infrastructure. In addition to workshops addressing these issues, the conference provides plenty of networking opportunities for attendees to meet with their peers and industry solution providers to learn new techniques, advance their knowledge and careers, and equip their agencies for ongoing success.

Registration for the conference is now open. We look forward to seeing you at the 2017 IACP Technology Conference!