To see the growing role that technology is playing in law enforcement, all we need to do is turn on the news. From the growing call for police body worn cameras to the lack of physical security surveillance capabilities in an aged correctional facility system, there is an increased demand for law enforcement organizations to respond more quickly and effectively and with greater transparency to crises. In order to improve the collaboration and communication within agencies and with the broader community of public safety officials, Cisco and Verizon have teamed up to create a national public safety collaboration cloud for the eco-system of public safety organizations.

The National Sheriffs’ Association Collaboration Cloud will enable sheriff offices to easily acquire, deploy and communicate using video technology. The Sheriffs will also expand this collaboration to their public safety partners in all 3080 counties of the United States, so law enforcement organizations will be able to allow their personnel to quickly communicate within their own department or with other local, state or federal agencies to conduct their business. Using the cloud, law enforcement organizations can respond more effectively to real-time incidences as they occur and work together on inter-department or inter-agency task forces with ease.

The new cloud based collaboration technology will improve many areas of law enforcement activities, including patrol vehicle applications and drug and gang task force collaboration. The areas of probation and parole will also benefit from this service as they interact with correctional facilities, prosecutors, defense lawyers and the courts.
For example, the collaboration cloud can be used for video meetings and hearings with attorneys, judges and inmates at correctional facilities. This helps law enforcement organizations to significantly reduce transportation and overtime costs for personnel. It can also reduce other public safety risks including reduced movement of incarcerated individuals by enabling legal teams and providers of numerous inmate services to communicate with inmates via video.

The National Sheriffs’ Association Collaboration Cloud will give law enforcement organizations better access to resources to train their personnel on emerging response tactics and mandated training certifications. By equipping training rooms for remote training and accreditation services, organizations will be able to expand their programming significantly. This collaboration cloud also enables real-time communication between patrol cars, emergency operations centers, 911 centers and dispatch locations using a myriad of devices including tablets, smart phones and laptop computers. It opens the pathway of reducing the largest budget number in corrections through the delivery of telehealth in county jails, juvenile detention centers and state prisons.

Overall, the public safety collaboration cloud greatly enhances the ability of local, state and federal public safety organizations to collaborate and work together to preserve and enforce public safety. The National Sheriffs’ Association recognizes the transformative power this collaboration can have on public safety. During their annual conference this past June, the National Sheriffs’ Association Executive Director and CEO Jonathan Thompson thanked Cisco and Verizon for making it possible.

(Click through to see the video on C-SPAN.)

As the demand for technology in public safety grows, Cisco remains committed to working with these organizations as they move into this new technology-driven future. Whether through connected justice initiatives, cybersecurity or collaboration efforts such as the Sheriffs’ Association’s Collaboration Cloud, Cisco is dedicated to improving efficiency across all areas of public safety, harnessing the power of the Internet of Everything (IoE) to transform the eco-system of justice and improve community public safety.

To learn more about how Cisco is leveraging IoE in the justice, public safety and security sectors, click here.