In 2015, the Association of Police & Crime Commissioners and the National Police Chiefs’ Council launched Policing Vision 2025—a bold, forward-looking roadmap designed to transform policing across England and Wales over the next decade.
At its heart was a clear ambition: “Digital policing will make it easier for the public to make contact with the police wherever they are in the country, enable us to make better use of digital intelligence and evidence and transfer all material in a digital format to the criminal justice system.”
Now, as 2025 draws to a close, it’s the perfect moment to reflect on how far policing has come—and to what extent that digital vision has been realised. For many forces across England and Wales, the transformation has been profound.
Digital Evidence Management: From Vision to Reality
When Policing Vision 2025 was first published, Digital Evidence Management was in its infancy. Merseyside Police led the way by implementing one of the first Digital Evidence Management Solutions (DEMS), soon followed by British Transport Police. Over time, DEMS adoption gathered pace across the UK.
Today, twenty-five forces across England, Wales, and the Channel Islands—representing approximately 69,000 police officers and PCSOs—rely on NiCE Investigate – (one of the DEMS within the Evidencentral platform)—to manage digital evidence and streamline investigations and prosecutions. Other organisations within the criminal justice system, including the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), are in lockstep as well.
This widespread adoption of DEMS has positioned UK policing as a global innovator in Digital Evidence Management. From Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary in the south to Cleveland Police in the north, forces have demonstrated the power of digital transformation in modern policing—so much so that many other international agencies are now looking to their counterparts in the UK for guidance and expertise.
Revolutionising Evidence Sharing and Case Building
One of the most significant achievements of the past decade has been the creation of the digital case file, which is revolutionising how evidence is shared. Developed in collaboration with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), this new, fully electronic, audited workflow for transferring multimedia evidence (which is integral to DEMS) replaces a former patchwork of manual processes rife with inefficiencies and delays.
This seamless evidence sharing between police and prosecutors has streamlined case preparation, reduced delays, and strengthened the efficiency of the entire criminal justice system—delivering one of the key outcomes envisioned in Policing Vision 2025.
Redaction and AI: The Next Frontier in Digital Policing
Despite remarkable progress, new challenges continue to emerge—particularly in areas such as redaction.
Speaking at the Superintendents’ Association conference in Stratford-upon-Avon this September, Sarah Jones, Minister for Policing and Crime, highlighted the opportunity: “I’m very excited about new technologies and the unleashing of resource that that can potentially give us...whether it’s automated redaction and AI, facial recognition, drones...technologies that reduce bureaucracy and help us be faster and better at fighting crime.”
Her comments echo the HMICFRS State of Policing 2023 report, which recognised the growing benefits of automated redaction.
Today, many forces are deploying AI-powered redaction tools capable of automatically obscuring sensitive information found in videos, audio recordings, and documents—and saving valuable time and resources in the process.
Beyond redaction, AI’s potential applications are expanding rapidly, from facial recognition and drone deployment to predictive analytics and resource allocation. These technologies are not replacing officers but instead, enhancing their effectiveness, enabling them to focus on higher-value tasks that rely on human judgement and empathy.
Addressing Workforce and Operational Challenges
While technology has advanced, workforce challenges remain a pressing concern. Since 2016, police numbers have grown from 200,922 to 235,753 in 2025—but recent figures reveal that 8,795 officers (around 6%) left the service in the past year, with more than half resigning voluntarily. Surveys indicate this trend will likely continue, driven by workload pressures and shifting expectations.
Control rooms face similar issues, with recruitment and retention increasingly difficult amid rising public demand. In response, some forces are experimenting with AI-powered virtual agents to manage non-emergency calls. These systems, widely used in commercial contact centres, are equipped to handle routine queries—such as updates on cases or officer contact details—which frees up trained staff to focus on emergency 999 calls.
Thanks to recent advances in conversational AI, these virtual agents are now so sophisticated that interactions often feel indistinguishable from those with human operators. This kind of intelligent automation not only enhances efficiency but also improves service accessibility for the public.
Looking Ahead: From Vision 2025 to Vision 2030
The digital transformation achieved under Policing Vision 2025 has fundamentally changed how forces operate, collaborate, and serve their communities. Technologies that were once experimental—like DEMS, digital case files, and AI-assisted tools—are now standard practice.
Moreover, the police sector has become increasingly agile in evaluating and adopting innovation. It was only three years ago that tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot were launched. Today, they are helping forces explore novel approaches to communication, administration, and data analysis.
Furthermore, the groundwork laid over the past decade has formed the foundation for the next evolution—Policing Vision 2030 and the National Policing Digital Strategy 2025–2030. These initiatives aim to build upon past successes, tackle emerging challenges, and ensure UK policing remains at the forefront of technological innovation and community trust.
A Future Built on Progress
From Digital Evidence Management to AI-assisted workflows, the transformation driven by Policing Vision 2025 has reshaped the fabric of modern policing. UK forces are not merely keeping pace with technology—they are defining best practices and setting new benchmarks for innovation on the world stage.
And, as the next decade begins, the momentum shows no sign of slowing. Continued innovation, collaboration, and smarter ways of working will ensure that technology remains a powerful ally—empowering those on the front line of policing, and delivering even better outcomes for the public they are sworn to serve.
