AZ TechCast

Using Public Safety Tech to Improve Community Relations E23

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Using Public Safety Tech to Improve Community Relations E23

What technologies are law enforcement agencies and private-sector businesses adopting to protect public safety through a more informed lens? How can these entities implement these technologies effectively to produce more equitable outcomes, particularly for communities of color? And finally, which decisions should be made by humans and which ones can be made by AI?

The February 2022 episode of the Arizona Technology Council’s TechCast podcast featured public safety experts including Lauren M. Cziok, public safety senior manager at Accenture; Jason Hartford, vice president of Axon devices at Axon; Gretchen Peri, senior director at Slalom and Robin S. Reed, co-founder and principal at EmFluent, LLC and president and CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona. These leaders joined Steve Zylstra, Council president and CEO, and Karen Nowicki, president and owner of Phoenix Business RadioX, in exploring technology’s role in public safety and how new innovations can help first responders make better-informed decisions in real time.

Throughout this hour-long episode, this panel of public safety specialists explained the recent evolution of public safety technologies to emphasize racial and social equity. They acknowledge that historically, law enforcement has been slow to change, and hasn’t always progressed as quickly as it needs to in order to respond to society’s needs.

Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries, we offer Strategy and Consulting, Interactive, Technology and Operations services — all powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers.

Our 674,000people deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity every day, serving clients in more than 120 countries. We embrace the power of change to create value and shared success for our clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities.

Lauren Cziok serves as Accenture’s North America Public Safety Lead, delivering technology projects and strategic support to law enforcement agencies around the world.

As a former crime analyst from a US state agency, Lauren has experience in Intelligence Analysis, Investigative Support, Public Safety Business Processes and Operations Systems for State, Local, Federal, and International Public Safety Agencies.

Lauren comes from a family of police officers with a combined 75+ years of service, which has fueled her passion for providing Public Safety Agencies with the tools and skills to further their goals of trust and legitimacy through Analytics.

Follow Accenture on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

With over 26 years of advancing technology, Axon is dedicated to a bold and powerful mission to Protect Life and Obsolete the Bullet. Axon is the global leader of connected public safety technologies. We stand for protecting life, protecting truth, transparency, and accountability.

Rick Smith founded Axon (formerly TASER International) following the deaths of two high school friends who were gunned down in an act of road rage. This tragedy sparked a passion in Rick to seek new technologies that would enable people to protect themselves without deploying lethal force.

Axon’s connected body-worn camera technology and evidence-management cloud are designed to help police officers work efficiently actively and transparently. Axon’s mission from the start has been to make the bullet obsolete, reduce social conflict and ensure criminal justice systems are fair and effective.

Following recent events, Axon has doubled down on its focus to eradicate racism and excessive force in the justice system.

Jason Hartford is a technology product management, marketing, planning and supply chain leader with over 15 years experience in team development, process improvement and change management.

He has experience in managing across multiple industries, go-to-market models and high/low volume businesses and is recognized as a product management leader in developing innovative experiences and capabilities.

He has proven abilities in forming, managing and developing diverse, multi-cultural high performance teams and has a consistent reputation for delivering high-quality results in fast-paced, high-accountability work environments.

Finally, Jason has demonstrated success in developing innovative processes and solutions that improve profitability, enable increased revenue and improve asset management.

Follow Axon on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The EmFluent team are trusted business advisors who provide the highest levels of applied experience, industry knowledge, expertise, and white-glove service.

We engage with organizations to improve strategic and tactical execution through comprehensive workforce analytics and custom-developed solutions.

Robin Reed is the co-founder and Principal with EmFluent, an Executive Performance Consulting company that focuses on leadership strategy, talent optimization and sales arbitrage.

Robin is also President and CEO of the Black Chamber of Arizona and is recognized as a professional speaker and has spoken nationally and internationally on the topics of business development, strategy execution, talent optimization, sales arbitrage and mergers and acquisition.

Originally from Northern California, Robin currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona with his wife and is an avid golfer who enjoys getting out on the course 3-4 times per week.

Robin holds several board seats including:

• Phoenix College President’s Advisory Board: Co-Chair since 2018
• Treasure House: Board Member since 2019
• Valley of the Sun United Way: Board Member Since 2020
• Arizona State University, Knowledge Exchange for Resilience (KER), Council of Resilience Leaders
• ASU W.P. Carey School of Business, AZNext – Steering Committee

Connect with Robin on LinkedIn and follow EmFluent on Facebook.

Slalom is a global consulting firm focused on strategy, technology, and business transformation. They redefine what’s possible, and create what’s next.

At Slalom, personal connection meets global scale. They build deep relationships with their clients in 41 markets around the world, while sharing insights across markets to bring the full breadth of Slalom’s expertise to every engagement.

Slalom’s regional Build Centers are hubs for innovation, attracting top talent to rapidly co-create the technology products of tomorrow. They also nurture strong partnerships with over 400 leading technology providers, including Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Tableau.

Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Seattle, Slalom has organically grown to over 11,000 employees. Their Phoenix office has over 150 advisors, strategists, and engineers dedicated to serving the Greater Phoenix community. They believe in hiring locally and have a business model that allows consultants to serve clients in the same communities in which they live.

Slalom works with many Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 companies—along with startups, non-profits, public sector, and many other innovative organizations across the state of Arizona.

Gretchen Peri serves as Slalom’s US Lead for Public Sector, helping Slalom build better tomorrows for all with its state and local government, education, and non-profit clients. During her 10 years with Slalom, she has held a variety of roles including leading the Seattle market’s Public Sector Practice, Innovation Program, and Women’s Leadership Network.

Gretchen began her career working at the US Immigration and Naturalization Service and the US Mission to the United Nations. Her early experiences in public sector inspired in her a passion for helping government agencies deliver the best public services to their communities.

After completing her MPA, Gretchen spent several years consulting justice and public safety agencies on how to best leverage technology to improve operations and integrated justice data sharing. She joined Slalom in 2011 where she started the firm’s inaugural Public Sector practice. Today, Slalom serves its government, education, and non-profit clients across the globe through a network of 40+ local markets.

In the community, Gretchen serves on the King County Strategic Advisory Council, providing guidance to appointed and elected leaders on how King County can best use technology to enable a community where everyone can thrive. She has been honored as a Puget Sound Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 Business Leader and is co-founder of the PSBJ 40U40 Alumni Advisory Board, whose purpose is to bring business leaders together from private, public, and non-profit industries to help solve our deepest local challenges.

Gretchen and her husband live on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle, with their two children and a small army of farm animals.

Follow Slalom on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About AZ TechCast

AZ TechCast is dedicated to covering innovation and technology in Arizona and beyond.

Through the art of connected conversation, AZ TechCast’s guests will share their expertise, success stories, news and analysis about the region’s leading startups, companies and emerging technologies, as well as the latest industry trends and critical issues propelling the state’s growing technology ecosystem.

About Your Hosts

Steve Zylstra serves as president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council, a role he assumed in 2007. He is responsible for strategy, operations, finance and policy development. Zylstra is a vocal spokesman for the value technology can provide in raising social and economic standards in Arizona.

Zylstra serves on numerous councils, committees and boards, was named “Leader of the Year, Technology,” by the Arizona Capitol Times, and “Most Admired Leader” by the Phoenix Business Journal. In addition, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of science in technology from the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Ariz.

Zylstra earned a bachelor’s degree in automotive engineering technology from Western Michigan University.

Karen Nowicki is a successful author, speaker and the creator of Deep Impact Leadership™ and SoulMarks Coaching™. She is a two-time recipient of the prestigious national Choice Award® for her book and personal development retreat. Karen was crowned the first-ever “Mompreneur of the Year” Award in 2010 for the southwestern states. She was recognized for her leadership, business acumen, and work-life balance.

Karen has been an expert guest on regional TV and radio shows, including Fox Phoenix Morning Show, Sonoran Living, Good Morning Arizona, The Chat Room, and Mid-Day Arizona. She has been a regular contributor to many print and online magazines – publishing articles and blogs for business and education.

In addition to working with private coaching clients, Karen is also the Owner & President of Phoenix Business RadioX. The Business RadioX Network amplifies the voice of business – serving the Fortune 500,000, not just the Fortune 500. Phoenix Business RadioX helps local businesses and professional associations get the word out about the important work they’re doing to serve their market, profession, and community.

Of all the experiences Karen has had the privilege of participating in over her vast career, she shares that Phoenix Business RadioX is a pinnacle adventure!

Connect with Karen on LinkedIn and follow Phoenix Business RadioX on Facebook and Instagram.

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, Bianca Buliga is a trilingual first-generation American of Romanian ethnicity. A marketing professional with experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, Bianca currently works as Director, Marketing & Communications for the Arizona Technology Council.

Previously, Bianca worked as Marketing Communications Lead at Proctorio, a learning integrity platform that offers remote proctoring software ensuring exam integrity for learners around the world.

Bianca also worked as Senior Marketing Manager at SEED SPOT, a social impact incubator that educates, accelerates, and invests in impact-driven entrepreneurs creating market-based solutions to social problems. In January of 2020, Bianca was selected as an awardee of the Mandela Washington Reciprocal Exchange Program and traveled to the African island of Mauritius to run entrepreneurship programming for 15 impact-driven ecopreneurs on behalf of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Bianca has also completed comprehensive consulting projects for IBM, ESAN Business School, and the Peruvian government, and interned at the Arizona House of Representatives and U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania.

Bianca earned her Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from Northern Arizona University in 2014 and her Master’s degree in Global Affairs and Management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in 2017. She is an avid reader, yogi, and world traveler always planning her next trip.

Connect with Bianca on LinkedIn.

About Our Sponsor

The Arizona Technology Council, Arizona’s only statewide organization serving the technology sector, fosters a climate of innovation to enhance technology in Arizona.

A trusted resource in strengthening Arizona’s technology industry, the Council proactively eliminates impediments that companies face, accelerates the entrepreneurial mindset in the state’s expanding innovation ecosystem, and works to create a destination for companies to be, thrive and stay.

Follow Arizona Technology Council on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.