Last month, I joined a wide range of Australian and New Zealand police staff at the annual conference of the Australia New Zealand Police Advisory Agency (ANZPAA). It is a forum that focuses on key policing trends and initiatives, what is and what is not working in our policing jurisdictions and, of significant importance, where technology in the policing world is heading.

This year’s theme was “Policing Reimagined” with keynote speakers presenting some mind-blowing innovations that we, as police – individuals and organisations – need to adapt to. This adaptability quotient (AQ) sits alongside our IQ and our EQ as the measure of individuals’ and organisations’ ability to adjust to new and changing situations quickly and effectively.

When you consider the worldwide police recruitment and retention issues, technology clearly has a crucial role in bridging the gap between demand and supply. NZ Police knows that, even with relatively stable attrition and a high number of recruit applications today, the ageing/ retirement demographic will, in 10 years or so, outstrip its ability to recruit sufficient officers.

Fortunately, NZ Police has a strong track record as early adopters of tech – the move to mobility devices was world leading and we continue to leverage the advantages of this. However, there is no room for resting on one’s laurels. The ANZPAA conference demonstrated police must run fast just to avoid standing still.

Generative AI is the current challenge, and Police here will need AI to meet its mission of making New Zealand the safest country.

We should not fear what new technology brings. We must make the most of the opportunities it presents. As more than one speaker made clear, the worst thing we can do is ignore AI. The conference was reminded that criminals are early adopters of new tech, so cops have no choice but to keep up and use their AQ.

Facial recognition technology (FRT) is an area where Aotearoa needs to break the shackles of yesterday’s thinking or false understanding of the capacity of technology. It is ridiculous that supermarkets and other retailers are leading the charge with FRT while Police sits back and worries about outdated views on what, in the era of saturation social media and CCTV, constitutes privacy. Police needs to focus on the safety benefits FRT can bring to communities.

As we reported in the July Police News, police is working with Auror, using the company’s crime reporting platform and successfully changing the face of reporting retail crime. Auror has now partnered with Axon, a world leader in enhancing technology for law enforcement. NZ Police and the Government need to be open to doing business with such partnerships to leverage the best technology to enhance the safety of Kiwis. Auror has shown us that because we are small, we can be agile and quickly reap great benefits from technology. But if we remain wedded to outdated mantra, we won’t even be standing still; we’ll be swept away.

FRT is too important for us to be left playing catch-up. It can be used ethically, and we need to dispel incorrect reporting on how well algorithms work. Our courts and public watchdogs also need to move with the times. The public cannot be kept safe with outdated thinking.

In the new year, the association will bring together experts and interested parties to consider how FRT could be deployed in New Zealand including the necessary legal framework to enable, rather than restrict, its use.