The global public safety and security market is expected to grow from $520.8 billion in 2024 to $878.2 billion by 2029. This does not come as a surprise after this year, with the public safety landscape evolving due to the advancement of AI and technology in general, a record-breaking hurricane season, 76 school shootings and an abundance of election security threats.
Enter the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference.
We recently attended IACP 2024 in Boston alongside more than 16,000 public safety professionals, who gathered to learn new techniques, enhance their knowledge and careers, and prepare their departments for continued success. The four-day conference featured more than 600 exhibitors showcasing products and services and more than 200 workshops in 12 targeted tracks to assist law enforcement professionals with critical skills and tips.
The expo floor was packed with companies showcasing the latest law enforcement products, from body armor to data management systems. There were police vehicles, Cybertrucks and public safety technology galore! And our clients were telling their stories alongside major entities such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Secret Service, to name a few! We connected with vendors and tech providers that are shaping the future of policing with their innovative solutions, providing us with new insights to bring back to our work at Bospar.
Top public safety trends at IACP 2024:
- A high-level overview of key takeaways from the conference:
- Incorporating digital technologies within public safety agencies is critical in streamlining processes while prioritizing first responder resources and time
- Creating synergy between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies is key to ensure the protection of citizens is prioritized no matter the circumstance
- Setting up agencies with cross-functional training is not enough – integrated technologies have the potential to usher in a new era of modernized public safety
- Growing use of data and real-time data analytics to equip agencies with accurate, streamlined information to assist those in need as fast as possible
- Integrating emerging technology and AI to optimize operational efficiency
Sessions galore!
As if the floor wasn’t impressive enough, we were lucky enough to attend two separate sessions at the IACP Speaker Series.
John Miller, former deputy commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism for the New York City Police Department (NYPD), focused on the current state of policing, focusing on issues and challenges with election security and terrorism, while highlighting the importance of information sharing. This session struck close to home for Melanie, as her father also worked for the NYPD Counterterrorism unit for a large part of his career.
Miller’s background is interesting. Not only is he a law enforcement veteran, he is also a journalist, with experience ranging from local news to CBS News and ABC News, where he secured the only interview in existence with Osama Bin Laden. If that wasn’t impressive enough, he is currently the chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst at CNN. Gaining this perspective from a journalist/former NYPD police department member was invaluable.
Miller covered major events such as the New York City subway bombing in 2017 as well as the mass shooting that took place at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, in 2022 – opening our eyes to the fact that terrorism is not just an overseas thing – it is happening right here in the US. It was inspiring to hear from Miller how police agencies are both responding to current issues and preparing their agencies for the future.
Session two featured Olivier Brun, commissaire général, advisor for the Olympic Games, who gave an introspective analysis of the successes, challenges and lessons learned during the 2024 Olympic games. He provided both a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the sheer volume of potential threats for both Olympians and bystanders alike, with more than 2,000 police officers on site and over 1.2 million background checks performed in preparation.
He also highlighted the top innovative policing practices that were used before, during and after the games, sharing perspectives on policing challenges and solutions that span borders. Overall, we had the opportunity to gain a behind-the-scenes look into the importance of proactive and thorough public safety preparation following the world’s largest sporting celebration.
Back to work…
What is the first thing one does when they come home with an abundance of insights on the future of law enforcement? At Bospar, we brainstorm how we can use the new intelligence we have gathered to cut through the noise by creating stories that resonate with the media.
With our understanding of technology and successes with public safety clients (see here for how we elevate local news with clever newsjacking), we consistently drive successful, top-tier placements (hello, FOX News, CBS News, and Fortune)—all while being “Politely Pushy.”
Our experience at IACP also illustrates the importance of attending trade shows and conferences on a wider scale. Bospar has helped our clients make a splash at some of the country’s biggest industry conferences – RSA and CES to name a few. And attending events in person helps us, our clients and attendees see and share the technologies in action!
Overall, IACP 2024 is an invaluable experience to gain a deeper understanding of the public safety landscape. There is immense potential for public safety agencies to harness the power of technology that will truly usher in a new era of public safety – one driven by data, cross-functional collaboration, and an overall mission to enhance civilian protection on a national scale.
