Mark43, the leading cloud-native public safety technology company, convened more than 100 senior leaders from across UK policing and industry at its annual 2026 DDaT Forum this week in Manchester to discuss the future of technology advancements, responsible AI, reform, data integration and modernization. The corrected release includes additional quote.
"UK policing has a real opportunity to rethink the role technology plays in day-to-day operations," said Matt Polega, President, Cofounder and Managing Director of the UK at Mark43. "Technology should make it easier for officers and staff to do their jobs — reducing administrative burden, connecting information and giving people the tools they need when they need them. No force should have to solve these challenges alone. By bringing policing leaders together to share what's working, we can learn from each other and help turn proven approaches into better outcomes across UK policing."
Discussions focused on several priorities shaping the future of UK policing: modernising legacy infrastructure, improving interoperability and access to data, adopting AI responsibly, and turning successful local innovation into broader change.
"Greater Manchester has always been a place where collaboration and innovation can drive meaningful change," said Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Kate Green. "Bringing leaders from across policing, government and technology together to share ideas and learn from one another is an important part of making sure innovation translates into better public services and safer communities."
"Some of policing's best innovation starts locally," said Chris Todd, Chief Constable of Humberside Police and NPCC Lead for Data Integration. "The opportunity now is to connect those successes, improve how data moves across policing and create the conditions for effective innovation to scale."
"The scale of change underway across policing makes collaboration and shared learning more important than ever," said James Slessor, Managing Director, UK and Global Public Safety Lead at Accenture. "It requires rethinking how people, processes and technology work together in new ways to deliver better outcomes."
"The conversation around AI in policing is moving beyond what the technology can do to where it can genuinely add value," said Blair Gibbs, Director of the Police Foundation. "That means being rigorous about the problems we are trying to solve, the safeguards that need to be in place and how we maintain the confidence of both the workforce and the public."
"Greater Manchester has a strong track record of bringing together technology, innovation and public service, and we're pleased to see Mark43 continuing to invest and grow its presence here," said Joe Manning, Managing Director of Invest Manchester.
About Mark43
Mark43 brings modern technology to public safety, helping policing and emergency services work faster, smarter, and keep communities safer. Its integrated Records Management, Command & Control, and Data Analytics solutions form a unified, real-time platform trusted by more than 300 agencies across UK and US.
