By: Dawn Zoldi
As threats grow more complex and data volumes explode, law enforcement agencies remain under pressure to do more with less. Drawing on insights from an exclusive interview with Sergeant George Vit, a nearly 20-year law enforcement professional and support services sergeant in New Jersey, current chair of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement and Information Technology (LEIT) Board and Law Enforcement Subject Matter Expert for Carahsoft Technology Corp., this article examines how technology continues to impact public operations. From the patrol car to digital evidence repositories and real-time nerve centers, tech has become central to how officers respond, investigate and keep communities safe. Carahsoft has built an ecosystem specifically to help them.
From 911 Call to Corrections: Tech Across the Lifecycle
In two decades on the job, Sergeant George William Vit has watched policing move from analog dash cams and stacks of CDs to cloud-based digital evidence systems, live video feeds and data-rich case files accessible on any shift. Body-worn cameras, once met with skepticism, now more often exonerate officers and generate valuable analytics for training, accountability and prosecution. Instead of waiting days to access photos or video locked in an evidence vault, detectives can now log into a digital repository and see a case’s full evidentiary picture in near real time.
Technology now touches every link in the criminal justice chain, from the first 911 call through investigation, prosecution, adjudication, corrections and victim notification. A typical incident might begin with an officer being dispatched for a call for service, an entry made into a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system, and prompt response from a patrol unit equipped with body-worn cameras and in-car video, potentially supported by a drone-as-first-responder overhead.
On the back end, advanced records management systems (RMS), such as that from Mark43, help officers and investigators build reports that integrate digital evidence, automate portions of narrative creation and improve accuracy while saving time. Digital evidence management platforms consolidate video, audio, still images and documents so detectives, prosecutors and even courts can securely access the same unified dataset instead of juggling DVDs and paper. Forensic tools from vendors such as Cellebrite and Magnet Forensics help agencies extract, analyze and correlate digital artifacts from mobile devices, apps, cloud platforms and other sources.
Adoption still varies widely by agency, however. Typical constraints include budget and organizational culture, rather than a lack of available technology. Vit argues that the more officers understand what is possible, and then work with vendors and partners to figure out the financing to bring tech onboard, the faster the overall bar for law enforcement can rise.
Evolving Technology Needs: Operations, Forensics, Autonomy
Vit breaks the law enforcement technology landscape into three broad sub-verticals: operations, forensics and autonomy/drones.[
- Operations: CAD, RMS, digital evidence management, body-worn and in-car video, real-time crime centers, and officer safety tools that support day-to-day patrol and command decision-making.
- Forensics: Digital forensics platforms, mobile device and cloud extraction, dark web analysis, data fusion tools and analytics that help investigators quickly find relevant evidence in massive datasets.
- Autonomy and drones: Unmanned aircraft systems, drone-as-first-responder programs, robotics, and related capabilities that extend officers’ reach, provide overwatch and reduce risk in high-threat scenarios.
Beyond these categories, agencies rely on “invisible” but essential capabilities such as secure networking, IT/cybersecurity and basic infrastructure, including something as simple as better lighting. Carahsoft’s Law Enforcement Technology Solutions Portfolio reflects this breadth. It spans civilian-facing applications, investigative tools, drones, dark web analysis, AI-enabled platforms and more, all tailored to public safety missions.
Why Agencies Struggle to Keep Up
Even as technology options multiply, agencies still wrestle with practical constraints. Budgets must first cover salaries, vehicles, ammunition, training and unfunded mandates like body-worn cameras before leaders can contemplate advanced analytics or new platforms. Many vendors underestimate how tight state and local budgets really are, assuming there is “endless” public money when, in reality, agencies need solutions that solve multiple problems at once.
Vit emphasizes that successful programs require champions at every level: executives (chiefs, sheriffs, mayors and business administrators), mid-level leaders (sergeants, lieutenants, investigations supervisors) and younger patrol officers who are often more comfortable with technology and social media. It is even worthwhile to include Agency and Municipal IT managers and bring them into the conversation. Those champions help build internal use cases, articulate operational impacts and justify costs to turn nebulous “innovation” into specific, funded projects. He also believes state and local agencies can learn from Federal counterparts by treating vendors as true solution partners rather than just salespeople. The key, in Vit’s assessment, is to collaborate to solve mission problems instead of buying point products in isolation.
How Carahsoft Helps: A Complete Portfolio of Technology for Public Safety
Carahsoft connects law enforcement and public safety agencies with thousands of technology vendors, resellers, system integrators and MSPs, from major manufacturers to emerging startups, to provide a comprehensive range of solutions to meet agency needs.
Vit notes that one of Carahsoft’s core strengths is helping agencies identify the right solution for their needs. If an agency has a specific problem—“Is there a solution for this exact need?”—Carahsoft can help identify a technology vendor that fits that “square peg for the square hole,” then help streamline procurement.
At a high level, Carahsoft’s Law Enforcement Technology Solutions Portfolio brings together software and hardware solutions to support Federal, State and Local public safety agencies across the U.S. and Canada as they confront cyberattacks, new public safety threats and massive volumes of digital data. Offerings range from citizen-facing apps to dark web analysis platforms, decision-intelligence tools, AI-enabled investigative systems and protective services that reduce digital risk for officers and their families. By aggregating these capabilities under one umbrella and understanding Public Sector contracting, Carahsoft lowers the barrier to entry for agencies and vendors alike.
Key Ways Carahsoft Supports Agencies
- Streamlined procurement through contract vehicles – Carahsoft holds a wide variety of schedules, contracts and purchasing agreements that streamline and simplify the IT procurement process.
- Access to an extensive portfolio of solutions and specialized IT solution support – Carahsoft has assembled a comprehensive IT solutions portfolio that includes products and services across multiple technology verticals to support agencies with mission-focused solutions such as law enforcement technology, cybersecurity modernization, AI advancements, cloud migration and DevSecOps adoption.
- Educational and informational events – Carahsoft, in conjunction with its vendor partners, hosts and sponsors thousands of events each year, ranging from accredited trainings to webcasts and tradeshows to executive roundtables and technology forums.
Why Vendors Partner With Carahsoft
For technology companies, Carahsoft offers access to a vast Public Sector ecosystem and the expertise to overcome procurement and contracting hurdles. The company supports IT manufacturers, resellers, system integrators, MSPs and consulting partners with services designed to remove barriers to entry and accelerate traction in Government markets. Technology vendors interested in becoming a Carahsoft partner can begin by filling out an information form, and Carahsoft will contact interested parties quickly for next steps.
One of Carahsoft’s annual educational events is the 2026 Law Enforcement Innovation Summit, a free event scheduled for April 2, 2026 at company headquarters in Reston, Virginia. Vit explained that the summit will feature multiple panels and speakers from Government and industry, focused on topical law enforcement issues and practical technology solutions. Any Government employee supporting law enforcement and public safety, not just sworn officers, is welcome to attend. Carahsoft views analysts, civilian staff and municipal IT teams as all part of the public safety ecosystem.
The 2026 Law Enforcement Innovation Summit
The Summit is an opportunity for agencies to explore cutting-edge tools, learn from peers and hear directly from vendor partners about real-world deployments. The agenda will be a mix of mission-aligned technologies and educational content from government and industry leaders alike. The summit complements Carahsoft’s broader events calendar, which includes a range of law enforcement conferences and training opportunities throughout 2026.
Carahsoft’s Broader Law Enforcement Ecosystem
Carahsoft also curates resources to help agencies and vendors stay engaged year-round. Its Law Enforcement Technology Solutions website aggregates solution briefs, whitepapers, e-books and partner spotlights that address challenges such as digital evidence overload, AI-driven investigations, cybersecurity and officer digital risk. In addition, Carahsoft offers self-guided tours of its Law Enforcement Solutions for Government, allowing stakeholders to explore capabilities and partner offerings at their own pace online.
The company’s “Top 10 Law Enforcement Events for Government in 2026” blog post gives agencies a roadmap of key conferences and gatherings where Carahsoft and its partners will appear, including IACP Tech and Annual, regional summits and specialized technology forums.
Together, these resources make it easier for overburdened public safety leaders to keep up with rapid innovation without having to start from scratch on every procurement.
Getting Involved: Agencies and Vendors
For agencies, engaging with Carahsoft can begin with something as simple as registering for a webinar, attending an event or reaching out to discuss a particular operational challenge or for procurement support. Vit encourages law enforcement leaders to come prepared with specific problems, such as reducing digital evidence backlogs, standing up a real-time crime center, or improving cross-jurisdiction data sharing, so Carahsoft and its vendor partners can help identify the best-fit mix of tools.
For technology manufacturers, including those successful in other verticals but new to public safety, Carahsoft offers a structured pathway into the law enforcement market. By filling out the vendor partner form and working through the onboarding process, companies can tap into Carahsoft’s Public Sector contracts, marketing channels and event platforms to reach agencies that might otherwise be inaccessible.
As Vit put it, the goal is to ensure that when an agency asks, “Does someone make a solution for this problem?,” the answer is not only “yes,” but that there is a clear, navigable path to find, evaluate and procure that solution. Now that every step of the criminal justice lifecycle increasingly depends on smart, connected technology, partners like Carahsoft have become as essential to law enforcement, as the tools they help provide critically support mission needs.