As part of the London Police Service Board’s ongoing work to strengthen our governance mechanisms, we regularly explore emerging issues shaping modern police oversight. One of the most significant areas of change in how public safety is delivered is technology, including the rapid growth of data systems and the adoption of artificial intelligence.

Technology is advancing and increasingly shaping how police services operate, make decisions, and engage with the community. For police service boards, this creates an important governance responsibility. A police board’s role is not limited to approving new tools or budgets. It includes ensuring technology investments are financially responsible, deliver value, support public safety goals, align with strategic priorities, and maintain public trust.

In a 2025 CAPG Governance Summit Conference presentation led by Dr. Dallas Bouckley , a research analyst for Durham Regional Police Service, a key message was that strong governance means asking the right questions when considering the adoption and approval of new technology.  Boards are often asked to approve new systems without sufficient information on the outcomes, costs, and impact on public safety.

Dr. Dallas Bouckley highlighted a series of key governance questions for boards to consider when overseeing technology and innovation, including strategic alignment, measurable outcomes, financial sustainability, operational impact, and ethical safeguards.

Examples include:

Governance

• Does this technology align with the service’s strategic priorities, such as community policing, transparency, or crime reduction?
• What improvements are expected in efficiency, officer safety, or service quality, and how will those be measured?
• What evidence or research supports these expected benefits?

Total Cost of Ownership and Investment

• What are the ongoing costs for maintenance, training, and system upgrades?
• How quickly are benefits expected compared to the investment?
• Are there more cost-effective alternatives available?

Operational impact

• How well will the system integrate with existing technology?
• Can it scale over time?
• Will it disrupt daily operations?

People and community impact are equally important. Boards should consider:

• How will officers be involved in decision-making and trained to use new tools effectively?
• Will the benefits of the technology be clearly communicated with the public?
• Does the technology improve safety and engagement without creating new risks?

Ethics and Privacy

• How will privacy be protected?
• How will potential bias be addressed?

It is also the Board’s role to develop policies and governance mechanisms to ensure the responsible use of technology. Effective governance does not require board members to be technology experts. Instead, it involves understanding how operations work and asking informed questions about how new tools are used, what problems they are meant to address, and how success will be measured over time.

As technology and AI continue to evolve, good governance will be critical to ensuring that innovation supports effective policing and community needs.

The London Police Service Board is currently developing an organizational governance-level AI policy.  We always welcome community input into any of our work: lpsb@lpsb.ca

This blog highlights key insights from Dr. Dallas Bouckley’s 2025 CAPG governance session ‘What Police Governance Bodies Need to Consider when Considering New Technologies Within Strategic Planning and Budgeting’