Stronger Together: Building the Digital Backbone of UK Justice and Emergency Services (a blog by Cloud Gateway)

Stronger Together: Building the Digital Backbone of UK Justice and Emergency Services

The justice and emergency services (JES) sector in the UK is facing a profound period of digital change. As public expectations increase and technology continues to advance rapidly, organisations responsible for public protection are under pressure to operate more efficiently, collaborate more closely, and make better use of data.

As stakeholders prepare to gather at techUK’s Justice and Emergency Services Reception on 14 May, it is timely to reflect on the importance of digital infrastructure. Though often unseen, the strength and flexibility of this foundation will determine the sector’s capacity to modernise and adapt to emerging challenges.

At the heart of this conversation lies a simple truth: in order to transform public safety and justice services, the sector must ensure that its connectivity is secure, scalable and fit for purpose.

 

Digital Volume and Complexity: A Sector Under Strain

The nature of crime and emergency response has become increasingly digital. The Home Office estimates that over 90% of crime now has a digital element, whether through mobile devices, CCTV, body-worn video, or online interactions. Simultaneously, police and justice staff are expected to access and act on this data in real-time, often across geographic and organisational boundaries.

Yet the supporting infrastructure is frequently fragmented. Each of the 43 police forces in England and Wales operates with its own IT estate, procurement systems, and digital maturity levels. This results in significant inefficiencies and makes the delivery of interoperable, collaborative services much more complex.

This is particularly problematic when responding to cross-border crime or working alongside other public sector entities such as social care, the CPS or health services. The National Audit Office and HMICFRS have both raised concerns around the consequences of digital silos, citing delays in justice, inefficiencies in resource allocation, and duplication of effort.

 

From Legacy Systems to Future-Ready Infrastructure

While policy direction is clear — with initiatives like the National Digital Policing Strategy (NDPS) and the Government’s Cloud First Policy — delivery on the ground remains uneven. Many organisations continue to depend on ageing, on-premise systems that were never designed for the demands of today’s hybrid working models, mobile operations, or cyber threat landscape.

This tension between modern ambitions and legacy constraints means the sector must focus not just on what technologies are adopted, but how they are connected and managed. Establishing a resilient, future-proof network layer is essential to enable secure data flows, scalable service delivery and multi-agency interoperability.

Solutions such as Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) have emerged in response to this challenge, offering a modular and cloud-native approach to network management. By decoupling connectivity from rigid legacy infrastructure, these platforms offer the agility required to bridge the gap between old and new systems while maintaining security and compliance. This is not a one-size-fits-all fix, but rather a flexible foundation upon which transformation can be built. See our customer case study Avon & Somerset Police and learn how this can be achieved.

 

Interoperability: A Systemic Barrier

Despite broad consensus around the need for improved collaboration, the technical ability to share data and services remains inconsistent. According to a 2023 Police Foundation report, over 40% of officers say they face regular barriers to accessing information from other forces or agencies.

This fragmentation is more than inconvenient — it has real consequences for public safety. When agencies cannot effectively coordinate, responses are slower, investigative efforts are duplicated, and intelligence is underutilised. Establishing shared digital frameworks and secure, trusted connectivity between systems is essential to mitigate these risks and move towards more integrated services.

Building interoperability requires both technological alignment and cultural change. Forces and agencies must be supported in taking a systems-thinking approach to transformation, recognising that resilience and responsiveness now depend on how effectively they can work as a networked whole.

 

Resilience in an Age of Uncertainty

In an era marked by increased cyber risk, workforce pressure, and resource constraints, digital resilience is no longer optional. The NDPS defines resilience as a strategic priority for UK policing — one that encompasses cyber preparedness, continuity of operations, and the ability to scale services at pace.

Legacy infrastructure remains a significant vulnerability. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has identified the public sector as a growing target for cyberattacks, with particular concern around supply chain risks and the use of unauthorised tools and services (commonly known as “shadow IT”). JES organisations need infrastructure that offers visibility, control, and auditability — without slowing down frontline operations.

Investment in a modern network fabric enables organisations to take a more proactive approach to risk, with centralised control, real-time monitoring and built-in security measures. Critically, it also supports phased transformation, ensuring that operations can evolve incrementally without disruption.

 

Towards a Collaborative Future

Events like techUK’s JES Reception create vital space for the sector to align around shared goals and challenges. The complexity of modern public safety demands coordinated effort, and transformation at scale will only succeed if it is underpinned by secure and adaptable digital foundations.

Cloud Gateway is proud to support JES organisations in navigating this transition, helping them modernise networks, secure data, and enable collaboration across the public safety ecosystem.

To explore these ideas further, download our free Digital Foundations eBook -  a guide to building the connectivity required for long-term digital resilience in policing and justice.