Public Safety Agencies Prioritize Officer Safety and Integration
New report shows departments are adopting unified security data to improve response times and manage staffing shortages.
- By Jesse Jacobs
- Apr 20, 2026
Public safety agencies are increasingly relying on integrated physical security data to protect frontline officers and improve real-time operations, according to a new industry report.
The 2026 State of Physical Security Report by Genetec Inc. indicates a significant shift toward intelligence-driven operations. Nearly 90% of surveyed professionals in North America said they use security data specifically to enhance officer safety. Additionally, 81% of respondents use this information to improve situational awareness and interagency collaboration.
The findings suggest that agencies are moving away from siloed systems in favor of connected platforms. This integration is particularly vital for emergency response and digital evidence collection, with 78% of participants noting that streamlined data access saves time during criminal investigations.
Budget justifications for security technology have also shifted. According to the data, 63% of agencies cite officer safety as the primary metric for investment, followed by faster response times at 52%.
Despite the push for better technology, the industry faces significant human resource hurdles. The report identifies workforce limitations as the top challenge, with 44% of respondents struggling to manage increasing workloads with fewer staff members. Other concerns include the technical difficulty of combining automatic license plate recognition with video feeds during active investigations.
As staffing constraints persist, agencies are seeking automated solutions to reduce investigative workloads and allow personnel to focus on high-priority community protection.