AI pushes public safety agencies to rethink intelligence work

State and local public safety agencies are using AI to speed analysis and intelligence sharing, but the technology is also raising the stakes for human oversight, governance and public trust. BizTechReports spoke with i2 Group’s Roger Stokes about how SLED organizations are balancing faster data processing with the need for experienced judgment.

Why it matters: - Public safety agencies are collecting more data than ever, and AI is becoming a tool to sort and connect that information faster. - The real operational test is not automation. It is whether agencies can use AI without weakening governance, civil liberties or public confidence. - The shift affects law enforcement, corrections, probation and other state and local organizations that must coordinate across separate systems and legal authorities.

What happened: - BizTechReports spoke with Roger Stokes of i2 Group in an executive vidcast about how AI is reshaping intelligence operations across state, local and education organizations. - The discussion focused on SLED agencies balancing AI-assisted analysis with human judgment, cross-jurisdiction collaboration and governance. - Stokes framed AI as a force multiplier that speeds data collection, correlation and visualization while leaving key investigative decisions to professionals.

The details: - AI is helping agencies build a common operating picture by combining information from multiple systems and jurisdictions more quickly than traditional methods. - The technology can identify relationships across disparate data sources and give managers and operators a more consistent view of emerging threats. - State and local agencies often operate under separate governance structures, which makes information sharing difficult. - Sheriffs' offices, municipal police departments and corrections agencies frequently use different systems and reporting lines. - Role-based access controls, privacy protections and established investigative procedures remain necessary as agencies broaden collaboration. - Stokes said public safety organizations are moving from a strict