In 2045, policing will look radically different from what it does today. Or will it?

Over the past three months, the future-gazing podcast series, Thin Digital Line, proudly produced by Exception, has taken listeners on a journey into the future of British policing, exploring the substantial impact technology will have on crime, justice and community trust.

Hosted by Jason Harwin KPM, a former Deputy Chief Constable, the series engaged leading voices in British policing and technology to envision a future shaped by AI, data and digital transformation.

This six-part series wasn’t about lofty predictions or sci-fi futures. It tackled real challenges and opportunities facing law enforcement, grounded in the expertise of Chief Constables, National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) leads and innovators from the private sector.

Together, we explored how policing must evolve to meet the challenges of 2045 head-on. Here’s what we’ve learned and why it matters today.

The thin line between promise and purgatory

The discussions in Thin Digital Line often circled back to a single truth: while technology offers extraordinary opportunities to enhance public safety, it introduces risk too. For policing to thrive, we must address challenges with foresight, collaboration and an unshakeable commitment to ethics.

Artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as a significant focal point throughout the series. By 2045, AI systems could mirror human capabilities, making decisions faster and more accurately than we humans ever could. However, as Alex Murray, National Crime Agency Director and NPCC lead for AI, warned, “The technology is only as good as the data it’s trained on and the people who oversee it. Without human oversight and ethical guardrails, AI could cause harm as quickly as it could deliver solutions.”

AI has the power to predict crime hotspots, enhance surveillance and even augment decision-making. Yet, as Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, Chair of the NPCC, emphasised in Episode 1, “Policing’s success will always depend on trust. And trust comes from transparency.”

This delicate balance between progress and caution was a recurring theme, from live facial recognition to predictive analytics. Technology can empower police to work smarter and faster, but confidence from the public in how it’s used is absolutely non-negotiable.

Cybercrime is the new battlefield

If cybercrime isn’t already on your radar, it should be. City of London Police, Assistant Commissioner Peter O’Doherty, painted a sobering picture of the cybercrime landscape. “We see 30,000 fraud reports every four weeks, 90% of them cyber-enabled. This is no longer tomorrow’s problem; it’s today’s reality,” he warned.

The scale of the challenge is daunting. “Policing is increasingly dealing with borderless crime,” noted Tony Blaker, Chief of Staff for the NPCC Lead on Digital, Data and Technology. “How do you police a criminal in Venezuela targeting a victim in Dagenham? It calls for new thinking about how law enforcement is organised globally.”

Yet, it’s not all doom and gloom. Innovations like cyber resilience centres and digital detection dogs show how policing is adapting with equally ambitious technical innovation. Alan Anderson, the Director responsible for criminal justice at Exception, highlighted a critical challenge: “The pace of change in technology means criminals are adapting faster than ever. For policing to keep up, we need to think beyond technology. It’s about investing in people, skills and processes that are built to evolve.”

Data is policing’s most important ally.. and its Achillies heel too

Amid all the tech talk, one word stood out: data.

Data is already transforming policing, offering unprecedented insights into crime patterns, offender behaviours and community needs. But as Aimee Smith, Director of Data at the Metropolitan Police, pointed out, “Data is only as valuable as its quality and how it’s used. Without standards, we risk making bad decisions at scale.”

Graham Adamson, Exception’s Head of Infrastructure & Data, reinforced this message: “We need to treat data like an asset. It’s not just about collecting more, it’s about organising and analysing it effectively to drive real change.”

The dream of seamless, data-driven decision-making is tantalising. But it requires collaboration and investment. Teresa Ashforth, Interim Head of Data at the NPCC, elegantly summed it up by explaining that "good data isn’t just a technical issue. It’s the foundation of trust and effective policing in the future.”

Even in a digital world, we’re still human!

Thin Digital Line was jam packed with insights around the biggest technical disruptors facing the Service: AI, data and cyber. But one constant shone through every episode: people.

Policing is, and always will be, about serving communities. While technology can enhance efficiency, it cannot replace the empathy and judgment of human officers.

Jason Hogg, Chief Constable of Thames Valley Police, reminded us in Episode 5: “Even in a world dominated by technology, the relationships we build today will shape the trust we rely on tomorrow. Technology will support us, but it will never replace the human connection at the heart of policing.”

Jodie Stanley, Senior Service Designer at Exception, concurred, highlighting the importance of designing systems that keep people at the centre: “The future isn’t just about tech, it’s about creating tools that genuinely make life better for officers and communities alike.”

Preparing today for tomorrow’s challenges

Perhaps the most striking takeaway from Thin Digital Line is the urgency to act now. The year 2045 may seem distant, but it’s only 7,350 days away. So decisions made today will determine whether we’re ready for the challenges ahead.

Alasdair Hendry, Managing Director of Exception, summed it up perfectly: “The future isn’t something we wait for, it’s something we build. The time to invest in skills, infrastructure and trust is now. We can’t afford to sit back and react; we need to be proactive and prepared.”

Whether it’s developing AI frameworks, scaling cyber defence capabilities, or engaging communities in discussions about technology, the path forward starts here.

Thin Digital Line series has taken us on a thought-provoking journey, exploring how policing is likely to look and function by 2045. From the frontlines of cybercrime, to the ethical dilemmas of AI and the fundamental role of trust and transparency, the series didn’t just ask tough questions it demanded that we start answering them today.

All six episodes are now available

Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, YouTube Music and all other major platforms, Thin Digital Line is more than a conversation about the future of law enforcement; it’s a call to action for leaders, innovators and communities alike – both in the Service and the private sector too.

The future of British policing won’t be built overnight, nor will it happen in isolation. The insights shared across the series remind us that tomorrow’s safer, fairer communities depend on the decisions and partnerships that we forge today. Together.