CEPOL Research & Science Conference 2022 MRU, Vilnius

The paper deals with the challenges of strategic preparedness of the police in the era of digital policing and rapidly changing security environment. The contemporary models like Intelligence-led policing, Evidence-based policing and Predictive policing rely on the quality of intelligence and information, but there is not much strategic level discussion about what is to be done with disinformation and hybrid threats. There is not much discussion, either about how to harness the power of AI and for instance LFR (Live Facial Recognition) while avoiding unethical practice and the breaching of public trust. The police is accountable also for algorithmically informed decisions. Strategic preparedness is important for public order policing and crime prevention, because the consequences of disinformation and hybrid operations are local. They can cause fear, public order and street peace disturbances, violence, targeting, demonstrations et c. Disinformation and hybrid threats are seen mainly as national security issues, which means they are political by nature and the actor may be a state, digital network or unknown. We will look at the challenges of AI in the context of new public order, which is more about resistance, refusal, activism and politics than before. The contingent nature of security and order should be taken account in development of strategic preparedness. The research methodology is based on conceptual mapping, document analysis and key expert police interviews.