20 Modern Tech Tools That Are Advancing Public Safety

Forbes

23-05-2025

From drones and digital twins to AI-assisted emergency response systems, technology is transforming how communities prevent, detect and respond to threats. Whether it's faster 911 dispatch, safer infrastructure or smarter surveillance, these innovations are quietly reshaping public safety at every level—even saving lives.
Below, Forbes Technology Council members discuss modern tech tools that have positively impacted public safety in recent years. Here's how they believe the capabilities and influence of these technologies might evolve in the near future.
Tech is reshaping public safety by helping schools detect early signs of crisis, whether it's mental health, cyberbullying or potential threats. In the future, these systems may shift from alert-based tools to proactive support networks, connecting students with help before issues grow into emergencies. Prevention, not just response, will define the next chapter of school safety. - Saby Waraich, Clackamas Community College
Technologies using biological data significantly enhance public safety, preventively and investigatively. For example, biometric systems like facial recognition aid prevention by identifying suspects or wanted individuals. Post-incident forensic biotechnology, such as DNA analysis, is key to accurately identifying suspects or linking them to scenes. - Sourabh Kukar, Salesforce
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When people talk about public safety, they often forget that highly dense areas will have more issues, and they will also often have a higher percentage of low-income constituents. Public offerings like cameras, shot detection and Wi-Fi provide the ability for residents to share information in real time and receive help faster, and they are provided at no cost to the public. - Tara Duke, taraduke.com
As a frequent traveler, this feels personal. AI-based predictive maintenance and anomaly detection for commercial aircraft is one of the biggest safety advancements, detecting issues before they become risks and solving them before they escalate into emergencies. The advancements will continue, and in the future, AI will predict failures even earlier, making air travel even safer and smarter. - Gundeep Singh, EY
Railway safety systems—like Positive Train Control (PTC), developed in the U.S., and Kavach, developed in India—have significantly improved public safety. These systems use GPS and sensors to monitor train movements and automatically apply brakes to prevent collisions, derailments and accidents. - Manikandarajan Shanmugavel, S&P Global
Telemedicine platforms have made healthcare more accessible, improving safety by enabling quicker, remote consultations between patients and healthcare providers. As adoption of telemedicine grows, so will its potential to prevent medical errors. - Hui Sang Yun, Endo Health
Fall detection, which is now a feature of many mobile phones and smartwatches, has significantly accelerated first-aid provisioning to the injured since its inception. Fall detection has also recently been added to some Internet-of-Things-enabled smart home devices, enhancing safety and care for the elderly. While this technology is more prevalent in Western countries, as costs fall, it will expand globally. - Bihag Karnani, Google
Mass notification systems have significantly enhanced public safety by enabling authorities and emergency responders to rapidly share critical alerts with the public across multiple channels—text, voice, email and so on. Whether it's severe weather, active shooter incidents or hazardous material spills, these tools play a vital role in improving situational awareness and facilitating timely responses. - Judit Sharon, OnPage Corporation
Autonomous 'drone as first responder' (or DFR) fleets are quietly reshaping emergency response. Launched from a rooftop dock when a 911 call is received, a drone can reach the scene in minutes and stream live video and thermal data, allowing dispatch teams to cancel false alarms or tailor resources. As Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) rules mature and 5G edge computing spreads, citywide drone swarms could respond to every major incident before ground units roll. - Rohit Anabheri, Sakesh Solutions LLC
Gunshot detection systems have improved public safety by enabling faster responses to shooting incidents. These acoustic sensors automatically alert police with a precise location within seconds of gunfire, reducing response times from four to five minutes to under 60 seconds. Future integration with surveillance cameras, emergency services and AI/ML will further enhance these systems' life-saving capabilities. - Ambika Saklani Bhardwaj, Walmart Inc.
Next generation 911 (NG911) has improved public safety by allowing text, images, videos and real-time location data to reach emergency services. The impact will only grow as AI wearables and smart devices are integrated, enabling faster, more precise responses—even, potentially, predictive dispatch—and better assistance in critical situations. - Rahul Wankhede, Humana
Advanced data recovery systems have dramatically improved public safety by enabling the rapid restoration of critical information during disasters and cyberattacks. When emergency services lose access to vital records during crises, these technologies ensure continuity of operations while minimizing downtime. - Chongwei Chen, DataNumen, Inc.
Digital twin technology is an emerging force in public safety. Cities are now creating real-time virtual replicas of infrastructure—like bridges, tunnels and power grids—to simulate disasters, predict failure points and coordinate emergency response. As sensor coverage grows, these digital twins will evolve into live command centers, enabling safer, faster decisions during crises. - Pawan Anand, Ascendion
AI-powered transcription and analysis tools are transforming public safety by making police body camera footage and court proceedings searchable and transparent. These tools help surface patterns of misconduct, reduce case backlogs and ensure greater accountability. As adoption spreads, they could become foundational for equitable and data-driven criminal justice reform. - Alessa Cross, Ventrilo AI
One impactful technology is the security robot dog, or 'robodog.' Equipped with cameras, sensors and AI, it helps patrol public areas, detect threats and relay real-time data to authorities. As AI advances, its role could expand into crowd control, disaster response and autonomous emergency alerts, further enhancing public safety. - Nikhil Jain, SmartThings, Inc.
Earthquake early warning systems—like ShakeAlert, used on the U.S. West Coast—provide advance warning seconds or even minutes before the shaking starts. These systems allow people to take shelter and critical systems to automatically engage safety protocols. Further, these systems could be integrated into existing apps and services to widen their reach and impact. - Ishaan Agarwal, Square
Crowd-sourced traffic apps have quietly improved public safety. By letting users share real-time alerts about accidents, hazards or blocked routes, they help others avoid danger and reduce the risk of follow-up crashes. As these platforms integrate with smart city systems and emergency responders, they could evolve into real-time, community-powered safety networks. - Umesh Kumar Sharma
License plate recognition is an underrated force in public safety, automatically sending alerts for stolen vehicles as well as AMBER Alerts. As it scales and syncs with smart city infrastructure, LPR can help forecast and disrupt crimes before they unfold. - Joseph Olorunyomi, Accomplishr
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems have transformed road safety by using AI, sensors and real-time data to prevent accidents. Features like automatic braking, lane-keeping and blind-spot detection help reduce human error, the leading cause of crashes. As technologies like vehicle-to-everything communication advance, ADAS has the potential to save even more lives and make roads safer. - Udit Mehrotra, Amazon
AI-driven emergency dispatch systems are quietly reshaping public safety. By analyzing incoming calls, location data and historical patterns in real time, they can prioritize the most urgent cases faster and route help more efficiently. As these systems evolve, we'll see lifesaving responses become even faster and more precise. - Zohar Bronfman, Pecan AI