As 2025 begins to loom in the distance, it occurred to me that I will soon mark 30 years in law enforcement. I began my career serving as a police officer for almost 6 years, and I have spent the past 24 as a prosecutor. Over the arc of my career, I have witnessed profound changes in both the practical and philosophical realms of policing.
The Evolution of Policing Technology
When I started, we had no computers in our police cars. Instead, we used pen and paper to write down calls for service and to compose police reports. By the end of my time on patrol, every cruiser possessed an installed mobile computer. As a young prosecutor, I had to help convince our local agencies to videotape suspect interviews using VHS tape. Now, every officer has a high-quality, digital camera strapped to his or her chest.
The Shift Towards Procedural Justice
On the philosophical level, law enforcement has gravitated toward embracing the concept of procedural justice. While the term may seem difficult to define, in reality it is quite simple: procedural justice is the idea of instilling a fair process for the resolution of interpersonal conflicts or disputes. Since a police officer's duties require the resolution of interpersonal conflicts on a daily basis, a modern police agency has a vested interest in making sure its officers are trained in the main tenets of procedural justice: voice, neutrality, respect, and trust.
Of course, adequate training is one piece of the puzzle for agencies; another is collecting and analyzing data to ensure field officers are acting in accordance with their training. That's where Guardian Score (GS) enters the picture. GS is a survey tool designed to help police administrators use real-time analytics and insights to measure and understand how their officers treat community members. The public interface is simple: after an interaction with a citizen, an officer gives the citizen a QR-code equipped card allowing them to complete an anonymous survey. GS provides a proprietary dashboard app to the department, which allows supervisory staff to review customer service scores in real time to identify department, group, and officer behavioral trends.
Looking Forward: The Role of Technology in Modern Policing
I am proud to add my voice to that of other law enforcement leaders who see GS as an integral part of a police department's public outreach. GS is a revolutionary tool which allows departments to reward great performance, address deficiencies, and provide transparency to the communities they serve. It also can be a powerful public relations tool, as it is a real-time "check-up" on a department's public interactions.
As I reflect on my three decades in law enforcement, I'm struck by how far we've come – from pen and paper to digital cameras, from reactive policing to embracing procedural justice. Guardian Score represents the next step in this evolution, embodying the principles of 21st Century policing philosophy. For modern law enforcement agencies committed to continuous improvement and community trust, tools like Guardian Score aren't just beneficial – they're essential.
Bryan Porter is a former police officer and the current Commonwealth's Attorney for the City of Alexandria, Virginia.
