Yet, officers often spend up to 40% of their shifts on administrative paperwork, significantly reducing their time in the community. Zebra Technologies, a global leader in enterprise mobile computing, partnered with SoftServe to tackle this challenge head-on. In Zebra’s AI Developer Challenge, SoftServe developed the Eyes & Ears app, an award-winning proof-of-concept that leverages on-device AI to automate incident reporting. Running on Zebra's rugged TC58 device, the solution has the potential to cut reporting time by 75% — from 16 hours to just four per week — freeing officers to focus on their core mission.
The high cost of outdated reporting
The administrative burden on law enforcement is a direct obstacle to effective policing. Traditional reporting methods are slow, manual, and prone to error, creating a cascade of operational inefficiencies. Officers often complete paperwork hours after an event, risking the loss of crucial details. This outdated process has significant consequences:
- Reduced Field Presence: Hours spent on paperwork are hours taken away from community visibility, relationship-building, and proactive policing.
- Operational Delays and Errors: Manual data entry and transcription create the potential for incorrect data entries and bottlenecks that slow down critical processes.
- Impact on Morale: Tedious administrative tasks contribute to burnout and detract from the core duties officers are trained to perform.
The goal was clear: Create a solution to digitize reporting securely and efficiently, without introducing new complexities related to connectivity or reliability of AI.
