Public Safety on the Agenda

Posted by Tim Bloechl
Managing Director, Worldwide Public Safety and National Security

Fighting terrorism. Combating crime. Responding to natural disasters. These are the all-important scenarios being explored this week at the Microsoft Worldwide Public Safety Symposium. Some of the world’s top minds in the fields of public safety, criminal justice and national security are gathered on the Microsoft campus in Redmond to consider how information technology and the power of software can help them meet the urgent challenges they face.

These days, public safety professionals need to know more; they need information faster; and they need the ability to share information and achieve greater situational awareness across jurisdictions — local, regional, national and even international. At the symposium, these professionals are working together with industry partners to consider how technology can help create practical solutions to make communities safer and improve national and international security.

 

The meeting is focused on key challenges such as:

  • Transforming information technology architectures and procedures;
  • Improving collaboration and information sharing;
  • Refining operational situational awareness;
  • Building capacity in developing countries;
  • Refining intelligence analysis to prevent acts of terrorism and crime;
  • Preparing and responding more effectively to natural disasters and aiding rapid recovery.

Microsoft is sponsoring the symposium to give leaders in public safety a forum to share best practices and innovations to enhance their operational effectiveness. Along with our technology partners, we’re looking to learn from those on the front lines, so that we can understand their challenges and needs, and create the right technology solutions to help them in their work, which has never been more vitally important.