AI is transforming the world of work. The question isn’t if agencies should adopt AI, but how quickly. 

AI tools can automate routine tasks, improve workflows, reduce human errors, and help maintain compliance. It can reduce the administrative burden on your staff, giving them more time to serve the community. If your agency is understaffed, these 7 practical tips can help you use AI to accomplish more with less.

Article Highlights

• Assess Your Needs
• Start Small, Then Scale
• Keep a Human in the Loop
• Prioritize Data Security
• Establish AI Guidelines
• Train Employees on AI Use
• Choose a Trusted Vendor

Although there are risks with using AI, these can be mitigated with proper training. By implementing the right AI tools and educating your staff, you can unlock a myriad of benefits: analyze CAD and RMS data, transcribe hours of footage, develop training content, and the list goes on.

While AI can help you do more with fewer resources, it’s important to be thoughtful before purchasing a solution. Keep reading to discover seven practical steps your agency can take to unleash the power of AI.

1. Assess Your Needs

Before jumping into AI, agencies need to pause and assess their needs. AI and cloud-based tools can help your team work smarter, but only if they solve the right problems.

Start by identifying operational challenges. Are call reviews taking hours? Are investigators drowning in paperwork? Is training inconsistent or hard to track? 

Pinpoint the gaps first, then set clear goals. Whether it's reviewing cases faster, improving officer training, or analyzing CAD data, the software should support your mission – not the other way around.

Next, bring the right people to the table. Loop in command staff, IT, legal, and frontline personnel. If the tool doesn’t meet their needs, it won’t get used.

Technology is only as good as the planning behind it. Agencies will benefit from taking the time to assess, align, and plan strategically.

2. Start Small, Then Scale

AI in public safety shows promise, but that doesn’t mean it should be rolled out everywhere at once. Start small. Test AI in low-risk, high-impact areas like reviewing non-emergency calls, analyzing body cam footage, or transcribing interviews. The time-consuming, repetitive nature of these tasks make them ideal for AI.

Once you see it working, build on that success. Use early results to make the case, refine your processes, and train staff. Then scale up. Expand into more complex areas like analyzing internal affairs case trends, developing training content, and drafting initial versions of reports. 

Some AI tools can draft search warrants, subpoenas, and incident reports with accuracy. They can even pull relevant case information directly from your CAD and RMS for investigators. This allows agencies to focus more on the community and less on administrative tasks.

A phased approach lowers risk and builds trust. It also gives agencies time to adapt, evaluate outcomes, and course-correct if needed. AI is a tool, not a magic button. When introduced strategically, however, it can help agencies reduce burnout and improve services.

3. Keep a Human in the Loop

AI technology can shoulder the weight of some administrative tasks: drafting reports, flagging patterns in data, etc. It’s fast and efficient, but it’s not a replacement for good judgment.

That’s why keeping a human in the loop is non-negotiable. AI can help write the first draft of a report, but a trained officer or investigator needs to review it, verify the facts, and make sure it reflects what actually happened. Accuracy matters, especially when reports become part of legal proceedings.

It’s still unclear how AI-generated content will hold up in court. Will it be challenged? Will it stand up to cross-examination? To what degree do reports need to be human- vs AI-inspired to be legally sound, and how is that verified? Until these questions are answered, human oversight is your safety net.

4. Prioritize Data Security

AI in public safety can be a force multiplier, but only if it keeps your data safe. Look for tools with the highest security standards: CJIS and SOC 2 compliance, data encryption, access controls, threat detection, etc. If a vendor can’t speak clearly about how they protect your sensitive information, move on.

Before you sign anything, ask the vendor a few questions:

• Is your data used to train their AI model?
• Is it ever shared with third parties? 
• Get their answer in writing, and if the answer isn’t clear, assume you don’t have control.

Of course, public safety agencies are responsible for security as well. It starts with data governance. Your agency should update privacy policies, implement role-based access controls, and regularly audit its systems. Test your defenses often, and know exactly how you’ll respond if something goes wrong.

5. Establish AI Guidelines

AI comes with some risk, but only if it’s improperly used. By establishing strict guidelines for employees, you can mitigate risk while reaping the benefits of AI.

Start by defining what kind of data is safe to input. Free AI platforms may seem harmless, but every entry matters. If an employee copies sensitive data (PII, security protocols, case notes, or policies) into an AI tool, that information could become publicly available online. 

An LLM (Large Language Model) is a type of AI model designed to understand and generate human language. LLMs are trained on vast data sets, so tools like ChatGPT may retain and disclose sensitive information entered by your staff. This is the default setting in ChatGPT, but you can opt out.

The solution? Don’t allow staff to use free platforms for work. And properly train your employees. Anything they type into an AI tool could be stored and shared. 

6. Train Employees on AI Use

Proper training is key to safe, effective AI adoption. While AI isn’t inherently risky, using it without clear guidelines can introduce unintended consequences. With the right education, your team can confidently use AI to streamline operations – without compromising accuracy or security. 

It’s important to train staff on where, when, and how to use AI in daily operations. AI is great for writing first drafts, cutting down on repetitive tasks, and speeding up paperwork that normally takes hours. Consider using AI to draft initial versions of reports, transcribe footage, or organize case notes.

“How” to use AI matters. For example, AI should never shape an incident report or narrative, as it may unintentionally alter context or omit critical nuance. It can take liberties with details that may impact a case. Instead, AI should support report formatting or help clarify language – while the facts remain in the hands of trained personnel.

In contrast, AI can be used to generate a recruiting email. You may even ask it to “write a fun and compelling email that convinces candidates to learn more about a job,” using key elements of the job description in the prompt. You can even ask it to write in a specific tone of voice or imitate a famous author’s writing style.

The point is, the use cases of AI in public safety will vary drastically depending on the employee’s role (i.e. HR vs law enforcement). Public safety leaders should define role-based expectations and establish guardrails for responsible AI use. With clear direction and consistent training, your team can use AI to improve efficiency without sacrificing oversight or accuracy.

7. Choose a Trusted Vendor

Not all AI is created equal, and neither are vendors. In public safety, a SaaS company becomes your long-term partner in service delivery. Choosing the right vendor should boil down to trust, public sector experience, and security.

SaaS stands for software as a service, and most organizations serve the public sector second to the private sector. That means their software isn’t built for your unique needs, so it’s important to select vendors who understand public safety. They should know the obstacles, workflows, and pressures that you face every day. 

Look for platforms that are user-friendly and integrate seamlessly with your existing systems (i.e. CAD, RMS, 911 Call Handling, JMS, etc.). Don’t settle for a tool that requires a tech overhaul or protracted implementation. The best systems fit into your existing workflows, not the other way around. If it doesn’t integrate cleanly, it will either collect dust or cause headaches.

Ask vendors the hard questions. How is your data stored? Who can access it? How fast is onboarding or implementation? A trusted vendor should have clear answers and a proven track record.

Learn More About Our Solutions 

PowerDMS by NEOGOV is a trusted partner to public safety agencies across North America. Our Power suite – including Policy, Standards, and Recall – includes industry-leading security measures. It was built for the unique needs of public safety professionals like you. Schedule a no-obligation consultation today to learn how your agency can use AI to accomplish more with less.