Addressing the Digital Equity Gap in New Era

As a CIO at Clark County, Bob Leek looks after technology services across 38 departments, mainly in a centralized model. He leads Clark County’s Information Technology team of nearly 200 employees, driving innovation to efficiently deliver cost-effective, robust solutions that provide faster and better ways for employees to do their jobs and for a resident of Clark County to access services. Leek’s vast expertise from hundreds of successful projects allows it to provide each person and business with the specific assistance they require, allowing their variety to be liberated to spark creativity and improve equity for ALL people around the globe.

Could you tell me how law enforcement has changed in terms of embracing technology?

One of those fields that are expanding is law enforcement, where the ideas and efforts surrounding data and analytics are becoming just as important as the tools we use every day. For instance, law enforcement personnel are always on the move. Technology in vehicles and other equipment has depended on secure, dependable, and widely accessible networks for decades. The network needs will keep changing so that law enforcement personnel working in the field can access the resources they need to do their jobs. With these technologies, they will operate safely using real-time data, unlike the old way that took a little longer.

Additionally, there has been a shift toward more video-based evidence in the form of body cameras and other video capture tools like ring doorbells, street cameras, or commercial property cameras when law enforcement and others are involved in gathering evidence and other information while performing their duties. Of course, the collection, storage, and management of all that video evidence must be done in a way that respects both the subjects’ privacy and the Data’s intended use. But in terms of all the administration of that Data, it becomes even more crucial for law enforcement to access all those network requirements.

“I believe the response from the community is rooted in the balance between privacy and the enforcement of laws. A trust-based response from that community may be innate”

To address areas that may be expanding in terms of activities to be watched or crime to be prevented or investigated, law enforcement personnel’s schedules may need to change as a result of learning about trends where specific sorts of activities are occurring. Last but not least, we encourage the appropriate sharing of information between agencies in accordance with laws passed at the local, state, federal, and tribal levels. We want to make sure that data sharing complies with all of that, but for data sharing drive technology demands with things like privileged access to multiple systems and interfaces.

Do you currently have any projects in development where technology is being used?

We are currently focusing on the issue of private and secure system access. To ensure that we are not placing an excessive load on law enforcement officers, we use multifactor authentication and zero trust-related protocols for network access. For example, to have a persistent network connection with a zero trust model that doesn’t require someone to enter a two-factor authentication. With that in mind, we can see the risk of data access being compromised, but we must watch out for adding to the workload of law enforcement professionals in order to use the systems and obtain the Data they require. We are therefore looking for solutions that can safeguard and protect the system, network, and access.

What do you anticipate for law enforcement in the future?

One of the topics that will continue to be researched is augmented reality. Law enforcement employees are designed to be able to access a map of a specific location and carry out tasks more effectively as virtual reality and augmented reality technology advance.

Therefore, I believe it would be a technological field that is still in its infancy, is making significant progress, and will continue to evolve. I think Data and analytics will also continue to develop and grow. It is possible to access data that has been gathered as a result of the work we conduct, and we’re always looking for better ways to make it available and free it for the benefit of the community and law enforcement.

How has the community responded to your efforts to make it safe?

I believe the response from the community is rooted in the balance between privacy and the enforcement of laws. A trust-based response from that community may be innate. We are aware that law enforcement is taking these actions to ensure the safety of our communities. However, what one person may perceive as safety measures, another person may perceive as a violation of their right to privacy. Law enforcement and local government can continue to work together with the community to address this issue, ensuring that any initiatives under consideration should be balanced for good results. It will make the neighborhood safer while reducing crime rates. Additionally, there would be the maximum amount of trust between the community, local government, and law enforcement.

What advice would you like to share with your peers or aspiring young professionals in your field?

The way businesses operate has been transformed by technology for decades. My advice would be to foster and develop a close relationship with the leaders of the various services, departments and local government that we support. Therefore, the partnership between IT and law enforcement should be centered on technology to enable you to achieve your business outcomes of lower crime and increased safety if law enforcement’s goal is to increase safety and reduce crime. It’s important to understand what success looks like in terms of the business and department teams rather than just waiting in the back office.