Event write-up: Interoperability in justice and public safety forum (February 2026)
This forum session brought together industry and the Police Digital Service to review progress on the Interoperability Handbook and Maturity Assessment and to examine cultural and technical barriers to data sharing. Discussions explored standards, business process alignment and cross-sector collaboration to strengthen interoperability across justice and public safety organisations.
Our first meeting of 2026 of the Interoperability in Justice and Public Safety Forum brought together industry partners and Police Digital Service (PDS) to discuss progress on their Interoperability Handbook and Maturity Assessment, cultural and technical barriers, and opportunities to enhance data and system interoperability across UK justice and public safety organisations.
Discussions centred on the maturity assessment pilot, emerging standards, business process alignment, and strengthening cross-sector engagement.
PDS Interoperability Handbook and Maturity Assessment Update
Milan Bollegala, Technical Business Analyst at PDS, confirmed that the Interoperability Handbook has now been finalised following feedback from techUK members and is awaiting internal sign‑off before release. The handbook defines four levels of interoperability:
Organisational
Semantic
Structural
Foundational
These levels aim to help police forces measure and benchmark progress. A maturity assessment tool is under development, initially focusing on Records Management Systems (RMS). Forces including Humberside Police have volunteered for pilot testing. Strategic alignment continues with the Home Office and national bodies to ensure coherence across programmes.
Key Themes from the discussion
Culture as a major barrier
Simon shared survey results following techUK’s For what comes next – shaping the future of justice and emergency services event, which revealed that culture is the leading barrier to interoperability (60%), outweighing challenges related to technology, funding, and procurement. Group members discussed the need for structured business change strategies, stronger change management capabilityand leadership‑level engagement.
Some of the examples shared such as the NHS and Police Scotland highlighted the importance of user engagement, agile approaches, and clarity of mission in overcoming cultural resistance.
Technical architecture and standards
Milan explained that the Home Office continues to lead work on technical architecture, with PDS focusing on neighbourhood policing. Some of the key enablers discussed included open standards, APIs, and orchestration technologies.
The group discussed the need for common data libraries and ontologies as a foundation for semantic interoperability and future‑proofing IT systems across forces.
Business process and orchestration
The group explored the role of orchestration technology and business process modelling in connecting disparate systems and improving user experience. Members noted that inconsistent business processes across forces can undermine interoperability, even when shared systems exist. Members discuss the importance of aligning workflows as a critical element to maximising the benefits of technical integration.
Engagement and collaboration
Members discussed the need for continued collaboration between policing, government bodies (Home Office, NPCC, MoJ), and industry as essential to making sustained progress. The group highlighted the need for sharing lessons learned (both successes and failures), including contributions from NHS, MoJ and other public-sector experts, and widening the participation base across forces and organisations.
Next steps and interesting links
Follow-up actions include finalising and reviewing the interoperability handbook and maturity assessment once finalised, reviewing the NPCC problem book to map interoperability challenges, continue to engage with the Home Office, MoJ, and national bodies to strengthen alignment, and provide feedback to the JES programme on the Policing Reform white paper via the upcoming techUK member feedback session and survey.
Head of Programme - Justice and Emergency Services and Economic Crime Lead, techUK
Dave Evans
Head of Programme - Justice and Emergency Services and Economic Crime Lead, techUK
Dave is a former senior police officer with the City of London Police, bringing extensive experience as a Detective and senior leader across frontline operations and multi-agency partnerships at regional and national levels.
He has led and supported responses to major national incidents, including mass casualty events, counter-terrorism operations and large-scale public disorder, working closely with partners across the criminal justice sector.
Alongside his public service, Dave has also held leadership roles in the private sector, managing projects focused on intellectual property and licensing. His combined experience across both sectors gives him a deep understanding of how collaboration between service providers and end users can strengthen resilience and trust.
Cinzia joined techUK in August 2023 as the Justice and Emergency Services (JES) Programme Manager.
The JES programme represents suppliers, championing their interests in the blue light and criminal justice markets, whether they are established entities or newcomers seeking to establish their presence.
Prior to joining techUK, Cinzia worked in the third and public sectors, managing projects related to international trade and social inclusion.
Junior Programme Manager - Justice and Emergency Services, techUK
Fran Richiusa
Junior Programme Manager - Justice and Emergency Services, techUK
Fran is the Junior Programme Manager for the Justice and Emergency Services (JES) Programme, supporting project delivery, stakeholder engagement, and policy development across portfolios including law enforcement, justice, and the fire sector.
Fran joined techUK in May 2025 as a Programme Team Assistant for the Public Sector Markets Programmes before progressing to her current role.
Prior to joining techUK, she gained experience working across local government and VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) charities, where she developed a deep understanding of public service and advocacy.
Justice and Emergency Services Programme activities
The techUK Justice and Emergency Services Programme represents tech firms operating in the public safety, criminal justice, and blue light markets. We create strong relationships between members and public sector customers, encouraging industry engagement, and unlocking innovation. Visit the programme page here.
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Our members develop strong networks, build meaningful partnerships and grow their businesses as we all work together to create a thriving environment where industry, government and stakeholders come together to realise the positive outcomes tech can deliver.
Head of Programme - Justice and Emergency Services and Economic Crime Lead, techUK
Dave Evans
Head of Programme - Justice and Emergency Services and Economic Crime Lead, techUK
Dave is a former senior police officer with the City of London Police, bringing extensive experience as a Detective and senior leader across frontline operations and multi-agency partnerships at regional and national levels.
He has led and supported responses to major national incidents, including mass casualty events, counter-terrorism operations and large-scale public disorder, working closely with partners across the criminal justice sector.
Alongside his public service, Dave has also held leadership roles in the private sector, managing projects focused on intellectual property and licensing. His combined experience across both sectors gives him a deep understanding of how collaboration between service providers and end users can strengthen resilience and trust.
Cinzia joined techUK in August 2023 as the Justice and Emergency Services (JES) Programme Manager.
The JES programme represents suppliers, championing their interests in the blue light and criminal justice markets, whether they are established entities or newcomers seeking to establish their presence.
Prior to joining techUK, Cinzia worked in the third and public sectors, managing projects related to international trade and social inclusion.
Junior Programme Manager - Justice and Emergency Services, techUK
Fran Richiusa
Junior Programme Manager - Justice and Emergency Services, techUK
Fran is the Junior Programme Manager for the Justice and Emergency Services (JES) Programme, supporting project delivery, stakeholder engagement, and policy development across portfolios including law enforcement, justice, and the fire sector.
Fran joined techUK in May 2025 as a Programme Team Assistant for the Public Sector Markets Programmes before progressing to her current role.
Prior to joining techUK, she gained experience working across local government and VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) charities, where she developed a deep understanding of public service and advocacy.
