5 Challenges to Interoperability in Law Enforcement Agencies

Law enforcement exists to serve and protect the community. More than a profession, it’s a calling – one that often requires sacrifice and thankless weeks on the job.

An agency’s top priorities are community safety, officer safety and public opinion. LE leaders, like the Chief of Police, are also measured on things like crime reduction and officer-civilian interactions. 

Unfortunately, law enforcement agencies today struggle with recruiting, retention, staffing, limited budgets and more. When your agency is short-staffed, it’s hard to limit overtime, to create shift schedules that prevent officers from burning out. And when officers burn out, the quality of work suffers and attrition rates increase.

It’s a domino effect of being understaffed, officer burnout, agency churn and decreased service quality. At some point, the cycle needs to be disrupted. 

Interoperability can help. Keep reading to learn how true interoperability can help agencies improve community and officer safety while better serving the community.

The Need for Interoperability in Law Enforcement

There are many myths about interoperability in public safety. The truth is, interoperability is the ability to share mission-critical information in real time between separate public safety agencies. 

Interoperability lets law enforcement agencies share things like criminal data and real-time incident updates. It also lets your agency receive important info from emergency call centers and other partner agencies. This seamless exchange allows public safety agencies within your community to launch a coordinated response.

Interoperability is particularly important during large-scale emergencies or cross-jurisdictional incidents (i.e. criminal pursuit). Imagine a multi-car accident occurs in an intersection bordering two cities. With interoperable systems, agencies can plan a unified response so as not to waste or duplicate resources. Or what if an emergency happens on the outskirts of your jurisdiction but your units aren’t the closest to the scene? Another agency can send a closer unit. With interoperability, public safety agencies can improve emergency response times and save lives.

How does it work? Interoperability is the ability of computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems to communicate across various agencies and jurisdictions. Interoperability is achieved with CAD-to-CAD systems, which allow organizations to share data, updates and resources regardless of the different software platforms they currently operate on. 

Interoperability isn’t just a technological requirement for modern day public safety. As we’ll see in the rest of the article, it’s a strategic necessity that enables law enforcement to protect the public more dynamically and cohesively.

Challenges to Interoperability in Law Enforcement

1. Technological Disparities

Law enforcement agencies often use diverse systems and software. One agency might use an advanced CAD system while another uses an outdated legacy system. With these incompatible systems, it’s difficult (if not impossible) to share mission-critical information in real time.

That’s where interoperable technology comes in. With the right tech, you should be able to bridge technological gaps between agencies. But every CAD-to-CAD solution is different – some may struggle to integrate with outdated systems.

Although upgrading old systems can improve compatibility across agencies, it can be expensive to do so and it’s often not a suitable alternative to a CAD-to-CAD solution. That’s why agencies must work together to identify common standards and technology that bridge the gaps and allow for real-time communication.

2. Budget Constraints

Implementing and maintaining interoperable systems can be pricey. Smaller agencies, in particular, may struggle with the costs of upgrading their systems to be compatible with other local systems and national standards (i.e. NG911). They may need to prioritize immediate operational needs over long-term systemic improvements.

To combat limited budgets, try to get funding through grants, partnerships or federal assistance. These financial aids will help your agency stay current with technological advancements and better serve the community.

It’s important to remember that every interoperable solution is different – both in functionality and price. Some CAD-to-CAD systems, like CentralSquare Unify, work with any vendor. So it allows you to link to CADs from any vendor on the market, including homegrown CAD systems. This provides serious cost savings, since you (or other agencies) won’t have to upgrade your current system to make it compatible.

3. Cultural Resistance

Interoperability requires cross-agency collaboration, mutual trust and technology. Unfortunately, this can be a sticking point for some agencies.

From protocols to organizational culture, law enforcement agencies often have established ways of operating. They may be resistant to change and comfortable operating in a silo.

As a result, introducing new systems or procedures can be met with skepticism. And if emergency response processes haven’t already been standardized across government agencies, there will have to be some compromise to achieve interoperability.

In this situation, agency leadership has two choices – nurture distrust of other agencies or help overcome these challenges. 

By fostering a culture that values adaptability and continuous improvement, agency leaders can encourage openness to new tech and collaboration. Training and communication about the benefits of interoperability can also ease the transition and reduce resistance.

4. Training and Standardization

Consistent training and standardization are cornerstones of interoperability. Without standard operating procedures across agencies (including agencies in other jurisdictions) and without compatible technologies, it’s difficult to synchronize emergency response systems.

However, achieving this level of uniformity isn’t easy, especially when multiple agencies have various levels of training and resources.

Investing in joint training programs and developing common standards can help mitigate these challenges. Such efforts ensure that all personnel, regardless of their agency, are prepared to use the same procedures and tools during joint operations.

5. Data Security and Privacy Concerns

It’s also important for systems across agencies to comply with strict security standards that protect sensitive information. The challenge lies in creating a network that allows for the seamless flow of information while also safeguarding against breaches and unauthorized access. Agencies must stay informed about legal requirements and ensure all personnel are trained on best practices for data security.

Solutions for Overcoming Interoperability Challenges 

From incompatible systems to limited budgets, it’s challenging for law enforcement agencies to achieve true interoperability. Fortunately, interoperable solutions also come with many benefits.

Facing agency cutbacks? Struggling to hire and retain officers? Interoperable systems allow agencies within and across jurisdictions to pool resources. It optimizes your technology and resources, which reduces redundancies and operating costs. 

In other words, interoperability lets you do more with less. It fosters a unified approach to law enforcement duties, strengthening overall community policing efforts. Agencies can better manage public safety and prevent crime when they operate in sync.

Wondering how to get started? Connect with your IT team and PSAP to start the conversation. With the right solution, like CentralSquare Unify, it could be easier and more affordable than you expect.

Schedule a discovery call today to learn how Unify can help your law enforcement agency maximize its limited resources and better serve the community.