By Johann Hofmann, CEO, Griffeye.

A single case today can contain hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of images and videos. This puts an incredible amount of pressure on the police officers tasked with investigating and solving it. Not only are they overwhelmed with information they need to thoroughly comb through to spot critical clues and potential evidence, but they are also pressured by the need to do so as quickly as possible to make sure victims are safeguarded and criminals are put behind bars.  

Placing all this pressure entirely on investigators’ shoulders is not a viable option. As a tech company with the mission to serve these police officers in their work of protecting our communities and the people in it, we must constantly ask ourselves: How can we better aid and empower them in their work?

At Griffeye, we develop technology that helps investigators process, sort, and analyze large volumes of images and videos. We believe that it’s by staying focused on this task and mission that we can generate the most impact.

Still, we know from our many years working alongside law enforcement that no single technology is “the silver bullet.” Our users require an ecosystem of tools in order to put all the pieces of a case together. So, our goal is not to solve everything with our platform, but rather to build a platform that is as open and modular as possible. This way, we can collaborate and integrate with other tech providers and third-party solutions, and thereby offer law enforcement the best possible solution for their needs—while giving us at Griffeye the possibility to focus on our area of expertise, doing what we do best.

This approach is something we also apply when innovating and developing technology for our end users. The enormous piles of data we see in digital investigations today are far from realistic for any human to handle on their own. Luckily, they don’t have to. We want to enable investigators to focus on what they do best: exposing evidence, assembling clues, and solving the case. As for the heavy data-lifting, we believe it should be left to the computer.

Empowering investigators to reclaim their focus

The stress and overwhelm often hits before an investigation even begins, as police officers find themselves burdened with the ethical dilemma of deciding which case to prioritize first when all of them are equally urgent. The approach taken can have a critical impact. Opening a case and starting from scratch is equally challenging. How does one cut through masses of data and identify the key details and visual attributes that can move the investigation forward?

The concept of man and the machine is nothing new. Simply explained, it is about integrating the two and thereby improving the efficiency of the human. This integration is vital for investigators who would otherwise waste a huge amount of time on repetitive, manual work and time-consuming tasks. Such tasks can be more efficiently handled by technology. By applying the right tools, investigators can better prioritize their efforts, find critical clues faster, and free up time and resources to focus on the tasks that require their human skills and knowledge.

When the sheer volume of data stops being a burden, it becomes an opportunity to do more. I believe that investigators can do more— not by working harder, but by having the right tools and support that enable them to work smarter. Our goal at Griffeye is to be at the heart of that solution by working with the police and equipping and training our end-users to get the most out of the technology; maximizing their efforts and aiding them to do more of what they do best.