Success Factors for Police Investigations in a Hybrid Environment: The Jämtland Police Authority Case

Abstract

Since information technology (IT) has been adopted in modern police work, it has become an important tool for increasing efficiency in police work. IT has also resulted in the phenomena of IT-related crimes and crimes that take place in both physical and digital worlds, ie, in what is defined as a hybrid environment. The hybrid environment forces police officers to collect information in both digital and physical worlds. This paper aims to gain new knowledge of police work practice in a hybrid work context. A case study approach is applied as the research method, and a large police investigation is used as the study object. In the police investigation, digital footprints played an important role in aggregating evidence. This research used the Synergy-4 model as an analytical lens to explain the multi-dimensions of IT use in a hybrid environment, and to increase knowledge on how police work is carried out in this environment. This research found that IT played an important role in the success of the investigation and in the management of digital footprints, but competence and management were as important.