How Technology Powers Public Safety Resilience

Tyler Tech Podcast Episode 115, Transcript

Our Tyler Technologies podcast explores a wide range of complex, timely, and important issues facing communities and the public sector. Expect approachable tech talk mixed with insights from subject matter experts and a bit of fun. Each episode highlights the people, places, and technology making a difference. Give the podcast a listen today and subscribe.

Show Notes:

In this episode of the Tyler Tech Podcast, we explore the critical role of resilient technology in public safety and how agencies can maintain seamless operations, adapt to evolving threats, and respond effectively to emergencies. Whether facing natural disasters, cyberattacks, or large-scale crises, first responders rely on technology to ensure real-time decision-making, secure communications, and uninterrupted service delivery.

Joining us is Paul Case, vice president of client success and general manager on Tyler’s public safety team. Paul works closely with agencies across the country, helping them implement technology strategies that enhance disaster preparedness, cybersecurity resilience, and operational efficiency.

Throughout the conversation, Paul shares real-world examples of agencies that have leveraged cloud-based solutions to stay operational under extreme conditions — from a Louisiana 911 center that remained functional despite losing its roof during a hurricane, to a Maryland agency that powered through a snowstorm without disruption.

He also discusses the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI), real-time analytics, and integrated emergency response platforms, highlighting how these innovations help public safety professionals anticipate risks, allocate resources effectively, and improve overall outcomes.

Tune in to discover how technology is shaping the future of public safety, ensuring that agencies remain resilient, adaptive, and always ready to serve their communities — no matter what challenges arise.

This episode also highlights Digital Access and Accessibility in the Resident Experience, a new white paper exploring how public sector organizations can remove barriers and create more inclusive digital services. As governments continue to expand digital offerings, ensuring a seamless, user-friendly experience is more important than ever.

1. Download: Digital Access and Accessibility: Creating a Better Resident Experience

And learn more about the topics discussed in this episode with these resources:

1. Download: Building a Resilient Government
2. Download: Public Safety Agencies Are Embracing Cloud Living
3. Download: Rethinking Police Reports
4. Video: 30 Years of Data Moved to Cloud in 5 Days
5. Video: Laredo PD Speaks on Cloud Benefits
6. Video: Better Outcomes With Aligned Emergency Response
7. Video: Agency Improves Efficiency With Tech
8. Blog: The Power of Data: Building Resilient and Responsive Systems
9. Blog: Cyberattack Inspires Agency to Move to Cloud in 5 Days
10. Blog: The Evolution of Emergency Calls
11. Blog: Curious about NERIS? We have answers.
12. Blog: Excellence 2024: Operational Efficiency Solutions

Listen to other episodes of the podcast.

Let us know what you think about the Tyler Tech Podcast in this survey!

Transcript:

Paul Case: When these systems work together, so do the people behind them. The real-time information leads to faster and more informed data-driven decisions, because, in an emergency, every second counts.

Josh Henderson: From Tyler Technologies, this is the Tyler Tech Podcast, where we explore the trends, technologies, and people shaping public sector innovation today. I’m Josh Henderson, part of the corporate marketing team here at Tyler. Thanks for joining us.

Each episode, we bring you thought-provoking conversations on the tools and strategies driving the public sector. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider subscribing, giving us a five-star rating, and sharing the show with others.

In today’s episode, we’re continuing our two-part series on resilience and public safety – examining how agencies can stay operational, adaptive, and secure in an unpredictable world.

If you missed part one, be sure to check out our conversation with Pat Ninmann, where we explored how modern technology is empowering law enforcement with tools like mobile data computers, computer aided dispatch, and cloud-based solutions.

Public safety professionals must be ready for anything, whether it’s a natural disaster, a cyberattack, or an unforeseen emergency. Their ability to respond effectively hinges on resilient technology that supports real-time decision making, seamless communication, and uninterrupted service.

And joining us today is Paul Case, vice president of client success and general manager on Tyler’s public safety team.

Paul works closely with agencies across the country, helping them navigate the evolving challenges of public safety operations.

In this conversation, he shares key insights on how technology is strengthening resilience through cloud-based solutions, cybersecurity strategies, and real-time analytics that enhance disaster preparedness and response.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into my conversation with Paul Case. We hope you enjoy the episode.

Alright, Paul. Thanks so much for joining me today on the show.

Paul Case: Thanks, Josh. Appreciate you having me.

Josh Henderson: Of course. Now, Paul, as vice president of client success and general manager for Tyler’s public safety team, you work really closely with agencies across the country.

What would you say are some of the biggest resilience challenges that they’re facing today?

Paul Case: It’s a good question, a good one to start with, Josh. And I would say public safety agencies, they must be resilient always. And what do you mean by that? They don’t have the luxury of slowing down, not in a hurricane, not during a major accident, and not faced really with the unimaginable. They have to keep going, adapting in real-time, and really responding without hesitation.

And in those moments, the last thing our clients should be worried about is whether their technology will work. It just has to. And we’ve seen this in action.

An example, Calvert County, Maryland, how they powered through a massive snowstorm without missing a beat. And we’ve seen an agency in Louisiana that lost its 911 center roof during a hurricane but was still able to stay operational.

And we have a client in Kansas that responded to a fire only to uncover a crime scene and allowing them to escalate seamlessly.

Our job is to empower first responders with technology that helps them do what they do best, which is protect and serve in in keeping communities safe.

Josh Henderson: That’s great. And, you know, we often hear about, you know, the importance of continuity in public safety, you know, having the right technology and infrastructure in place to keep operations running no matter what. That’s kind of what you outlined there.

What are some tips that you would share in terms of best practices for helping agencies maintain that operational resilience?

Paul Case: Continuity in public safety is absolutely critical because emergencies don’t wait for ideal conditions.

Whether it’s a natural disaster, a cyberattack, or just a routine system update, agencies need to be prepared to keep operations running no matter what. At Tyler, we don’t see our clients as just customers.

We truly do see them as partners for life. And our move to the cloud is a huge part of that by transitioning our agencies to cloud-hosted solutions. So, we ensure they have secure, reliable access to the tools they need, really without the burden of maintaining IT infrastructure.

So again, it gets back to allowing our agencies and our clients to focus on protecting their communities while we handle the technology.

And we work with agencies of all sizes, from small town police departments to large metropolitan agencies, from federal to tribal organizations, hospitals, and campus police. So, no matter their size or mission, we’re there to make sure they have the technology and support they need to serve effectively.

Josh Henderson: And you mentioned the cloud there, obviously, a huge part of modern technology and technology infrastructure and security.

And obviously cyber threats are becoming much more sophisticated nowadays.

Public safety agencies need to protect both their communities and their data. How can public safety agencies build cybersecurity resilience without compromising on efficiency in their day-to-day operations?

Paul Case: Yeah. It’s an important question, Josh, because cybersecurity and efficiency, they don’t have to be at odds. The key is proactive defense.

Cyber threats don’t take a day off and neither can securities.

A passive approach really isn’t an option anymore and our partnership and collaboration with AWS is really transforming the game. It gives us a proactive security framework with continuous monitoring, automated threat detection, rapid response capabilities, but we go beyond the infrastructure by embedding security best practices, so things like automated code scanning, penetration testing, and real-time monitoring. And we do all of this so we can stop the threats before they even reach our clients.

So, I would put it this way. In the same way that public safety agencies protect their communities, we protect our clients from cyber threats, ensuring they can operate with confidence and focus on their mission.

Josh Henderson: It’s great. It’s a great approach.

And, obviously, you know, we you touched on this a little bit already with natural disasters or large-scale emergencies that can put an immense strain on public safety agencies.

What have you seen or what are some ways agencies can sort of leverage technology to enhance disaster preparedness and response efforts?

Paul Case: And as you can imagine, our clients have seen it all and experienced it all because we do serve all across the United States. So different climates, different zones, different storms, different disasters. And what it comes down to is technology is a game-changer in a crisis.

It’s what keeps everything moving when the pressures on. Our clients rely on our enterprise CAD to handle our 911 calls more efficiently.

So, it’s making sure urgent incidents get top priority while everyday calls keep flowing without a hitch.

So, we have features like storm mode and customizable fire response protocols and real-time mapping, which just gives dispatchers and first responders the tools they need to stay ahead of unfolding situations.

And because our CAD integrates so seamlessly with our mobility application, everyone stays connected – from dispatchers to field units to support staff.

So, when a major storm hits, integrated mapping really helps manage things like road closures due to flooding or downed power lines, while geofencing allows teams to quickly track and control these key areas that are impacted by these events.

So, in some of our clients in larger dispatch centers, being able to associate 911 calls from the same location, it avoids recollecting that information that another call taker has already collected. So, it cuts down on time, being able to focus where they need to. So, all of this provides teams instant situational awareness and helping them respond faster and smarter.

And then I would say mobility is another critical piece of the puzzle. So, the ability to access live call data from anywhere has really transformed how our clients operate.

So, we’ve had command staff at conferences like IACP and APCO.

They’re checking in on active calls at their agency in their community right from their phones while walking the trade show floor.

It’s not just traditional responders or the command staff who benefit.

Mounted units at parades or marathons, university football games, and even marine units patrolling bodies of water, they’ll gain this real time access to critical information that really was once out of reach. And at the end of the day, when these systems work together, so do the people behind them. The real-time information leads to faster and more informed data-driven decisions because in an emergency, every second counts.

Josh Henderson: Stay tuned. We’ll be right back with more of the Tyler Tech Podcast.

Hey there, Tyler Tech Podcast listeners. Let’s talk about something that’s becoming more important every day, digital access and accessibility.

As more public services move online, ensuring a seamless, user-friendly experience for residents is critical.

I’m here with my colleague, Jade Champion, to talk about our new white paper, Digital Access and Accessibility in the Resident Experience, that explores the challenges and opportunities in this space.

Jade Champion: That’s right. This white paper takes a closer look at the barriers residents face when engaging with digital services and how public sector organizations are addressing them with modern technology.

Josh Henderson: Whether it’s simplifying online interactions, designing intuitive systems, or making services more available across different devices, digital access is about creating a better experience for residents. And as technology continues to evolve, so do the strategies for improving public sector engagement.

Jade Champion: This white paper is packed with insights to help public sector leaders think strategically. It explores the role of technology in resident interactions, enhancing usability, and expanding digital reach, helping you gain a deeper understanding of today’s digital expectations.

Josh Henderson: You can download your copy today at the link in our show notes.

Jade Champion: It’s time to rethink how residents connect with public services, and it all starts with access.

Josh Henderson: Now let’s get back to the Tyler Tech Podcast.

I feel like we could spend an entire podcast episode talking about the success stories you’ve heard with your time with Tyler. But to your point, you’re ensuring that first responders have that fast, easy access to critical information, first and foremost. But what advice would you provide agencies on how to strike the balance of the need to protect their systems and ensuring that those first responders have that fast, easy access?

Paul Case: That that balance is key, and it’s really about smart security without sacrificing usability.

So, that’s where cloud comes in. It just strengthens the system protection while making sure agencies always have access to tools they need and really from anywhere.

And by leveraging Tyler and AWS, our clients get a more secure, scalable, high-performing cloud environment. So, what this means for them is less downtime, less IT headaches, reduced time spent calling into our support center. Our goal is really simple. Let us handle the technology so first responders can focus on what they do best.

Josh Henderson: Yeah. And now, agencies, they have more access to data than ever before. How have you seen or how can they use analytics and real-time data to improve decision-making and enhance resilience?

Paul Case: Just like data is important in our day-to-day jobs. It’s one of the most powerful tools agencies can have today in data. And our public safety analytics application, it helps command staff and officers identify crime trends. They can spot emerging issues. They can take the proactive steps to reduce crime. So, a great example of this is we have a client in South Florida and they’re able to reduce overdoses by 64% at a known drug motel.

So, by using this real-time intelligence, they can tackle everything from stop sign violations to major criminal activity with really clear insights into the who, when, the where, the why, and the how incidents occur. So, the more informed our clients are, the better they can then allocate their resources or strategize response. And at the end of the day, it really gets back to keeping their community safer.

Josh Henderson: And another key aspect of resilience, of course, is adaptability. Being able to evolve with emerging challenges and innovations and public safety is evolving alongside technology.

So, just kind of future-focused a little bit. And I know we can’t see into the future. We can’t predict the future, especially with technology. But what trends do you see shaping the future of public safety agencies?

Paul Case: There’s a there’s a few things that are that are on the horizon, and there’s some that are already on our shoreline today. And one we’ve already talked about is cloud. So, as we talked about, our cloud partnership with AWS plays a crucial role in protecting our clients from the cyber threats through the continuous monitoring.

It also ensures the stability in the performance that our clients have really come to expect from Tyler and just empowering them to focus on their mission without worrying about infrastructure. So, I would say that’s the first. Another major trend shaping the future is AI, which can process and analyze information in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. But we do have clients that are already leveraging AI in various areas.

We’re excited about the innovations on the horizon to enhance public safety and more to come on that front.

Another trend that we’re seeing, and this is one that’s on the shoreline, in less than a year, all fire departments will need to transition from NFIRS to NERIS, which is really requiring new standards on how fire departments collect, manage, and report data.

And through our strong partnership with Emergency Networking for fire records and ePCR, Tyler is well-equipped to help our clients navigate this shift while maintaining compliance.

In fact, Emergency Networking, they’re leading the industry in NERIS readiness.

A good example is the city of Chesapeake, Virginia, becoming one of the first agencies to successfully submit live data to NERIS using the Emergency Networking solution.

The last area I will touch on, Josh, is more on the report writing side. We’ve recently launched report writing and it’s a tool designed to streamline the process of collecting statements and property detail and other data for completing reports by officers.

So, by enabling this real-time collaboration while on scene, officers can work together more efficiently. It’s reducing the time spent on reports. So, cops didn’t become cops to write reports. So, this tool helps officers comply with federal reporting requirements while cutting the overall time that they spend on writing reports by up to 50%. So, yeah, it gets them back to spending more time on what matters most and serving their communities.

So, these innovations are really driving the future of public safety, and it’s just offering agencies more efficient, secure, and data-driven solutions to meet the evolving challenges of their work.

Josh Henderson: And now to wrap things up, for public safety leaders looking to enhance their resilience strategies, what advice would you give to ensure that they’re leveraging technology effectively?

Paul Case: Yeah. I would say the technology, it’s evolving rapidly, and staying up to date on the latest trends and best practices is key.

I encourage our clients to continually learn. So, whether through formal training or staying engaged in industry developments, leveraging our Tyler University e-learning platform to learn more about our applications and expand their knowledge and how to use our solutions. So, the more knowledge our clients have, the better they can utilize the tools at their disposal and maximize their investment in Tyler. The second item I’d say is trust the experts.

Partner with those who truly understand the needs of public safety agencies. But at Tyler, we have experts who come from the public safety industry. It’s people who know the challenges firsthand — people that design, implement, and support the software, specifically for users like them. So, trusting these experts ensures your technology that’s tailored to solve the real-world problems that you face is at your fingertips.

The third item I would say is plan for the future. So, it’s essential to anticipate not only the needs of today, but also those of the future. To sum that up, I’d say by continuously learning, trusting the right partners, and planning ahead, public safety agencies can fully harness the power of technology to improve their operations and protect those that they serve.

It ensures they stay prepared, connected, and resilient. Because at the end of the day, it’s more than just software. It’s about protecting communities and the people who serve them every single day.

Josh Henderson: Really appreciate you coming on the show, Paul, and hope to have you back on again soon.

Paul Case: Thanks, Josh. I enjoyed the conversation.

Josh Henderson: We hope you enjoyed the conversation with Paul Case, vice president of client success and general manager on Tyler’s public safety team.

Resilience is critical in public safety, ensuring agencies can maintain operations, respond effectively to crises, and safeguard their communities no matter the challenge. At Tyler, we’re dedicated to equipping public safety professionals with the technology and support they need to strengthen resilience, enhance decision-making, and improve outcomes.

If you’d like to dive deeper into today’s discussion, check out our show notes for additional resources.

We’d also love to hear your feedback on this episode. Let us know your thoughts by filling out the survey linked in the show notes or reaching out anytime at podcast@tylertech.com. And don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast so you won’t miss any upcoming episodes.

For Tyler Technologies, I’m Josh Henderson. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next time on the Tyler Tech Podcast.