Recent attendance at a simulation user group conference led me to think about how a Digital Twin for Police might work.
A digital twin can be thought of as a virtual model of a real life process connected by a 2-way data flow. Its purpose is to enable proposed decisions to be tested in a low risk modelling environment prior to implementation.
The use of predictive modelling techniques such as Discrete Event Simulation to evaluate strategic and even tactical change options is well proven, including in relation to the design of police operating models. However, the time taken to evaluate scenarios has historically been a barrier to their more operational use.
Recent developments mean that scenarios can now be run almost real time in the cloud, meaning that operational scenario evaluation is more practical. Along with the increasing use of Business Analytics dashboards, enabled by tools such as Tableau and Power BI, this makes the Digital Twin an increasingly viable concept in many business sectors.
To read my article on the application of the Digital Twin for Police concept on Linked In in full, click here