Police Professionals Welcome New Technologies but Require Training and Enhanced Workforce Planning to Reap Benefits, Accenture Survey Finds
Summary
ORLANDO, Fla.--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Three-fourths (76 percent) of policing personnel expect that they will need new digital skills to be effective in their roles over the next three to five years, and half (50 percent) are willing to learn new digital skills if they receive the necessary training from their employer, according to findings of a six-country survey released by Accenture (NYSE: ACN) at the annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police ( IACP ).“This research tells us that while most police officers are excited by the opportunities new digital technologies afford and the impact they will have on their workplace, many are challenged in their use of the technologies due to a lack of training or access to specialist skills and knowledge,” said Rachel Phillips who leads Accenture’s workforce transformation team for the public safety practice.“The findings relating to AI are particularly surprising, with more than two-third of respondents already using the technology,” said Jody Weis, who leads Accenture’s Public Safety practice in North America.When asked about their career prospects over the coming years, two-fifths of respondents (41 percent) anticipated increased opportunities for job-sharing and more flexible work.New technologies offer an unprecedented opportunity for police employees at all levels to shape a new type of workforce, one that is diverse and flexible and capable of coping with the demands of modern-day policing.”