From On-Prem to Cloud-Based DEMS - Why Agencies are Making the Switch

If you’ve ever wrapped up a shift and spent another 30 minutes plus uploading evidence to a thumb drive or burning evidence to DVDs, labeling them by hand, and getting them to the DA’s office as quickly as possible—you know how frustrating this “old way” of managing digital evidence can be. That process may have worked in the early 2000s, but with today’s volume of digital evidence combined with public expectation of swift justice, maintaining a level of efficiency and evidence security can yield the opposite effect.

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Modern law enforcement agencies are collecting exponentially more data from body cameras, in-car video systems, automated license plate recognition systems (ALPR), and even citizen-provided evidence. Many are still relying on on-premise servers and outdated storage practices to manage that workload—and it’s starting to show.

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That’s why more departments are switching to cloud-based Digital Evidence Management Systems (DEMS). It’s not just about getting more modern—it’s about making your evidence processes faster, smarter, and more secure.

Why the “Old Way” Isn’t Working Anymore

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You feel it when you spend hours of your week at the station versus in the field, waiting for files to finish uploading to a DVD or thumb drive. When a body camera dies mid-incident because someone forgot to offload the last shift’s footage. When a defense attorney questions the chain of custody, and you’re stuck digging through a server log from three months ago.

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The systems many departments rely on today just weren’t built for the volume being dealt with now. As Lieutenant Don Peck of Nampa PD put it: “Data is getting so large… we’re running out of server rack space”

And when server issues combine with manual processes—slow uploads, mislabeled files, outdated formats, and no file organization for location ease—it becomes more than a tech problem. It’s a threat to operational readiness. Officers are pulled off the street to babysit systems. Prosecutors can’t get what they need. Internal reviews take too long. And public expectations keep rising.
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That kind of strain wears on a department. It’s not just inefficiency—it’s pressure that builds over time and affects your ability to serve. This is why so many agencies are stepping back and asking: Does this system still serve the way we need it to?
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Retired Lt. Brian Churchill, formerly of Indianapolis Metro PD, answered that plainly “We’ve come a long way from manila folders and VHS tapes… and on-prem servers. Digital transformation in law enforcement isn’t just about convenience—it’s about accuracy, security, and ensuring justice is served faster than ever”

What Cloud-Based Tools Solve

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That’s where cloud-based systems like POLARIS by Utility™ and STRAX with Utility™ come in. They aren’t just IT tools—they’re purpose-built for how law enforcement actually works.
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POLARIS, a data-source agnostic platform, manages digital evidence from start to finish. From automatic uploads to searchable tags, redaction, transcription, and secure sharing, it cuts down on admin and protects your timeline. Automated recording triggers ensure you don’t have to remember to hit “record” to capture evidence, nor backtrack through unorganized folders on a server to find the right file—it’s there, indexed, and protected. STRAX gives command staff real-time incident management—merging camera feeds, ALPRs, drones, GPS, and alerts and workflows through one screen. That kind of visibility doesn’t just help with response—it can save lives, prevent miscommunication, and provide clean, documented records that can be transitioned into digital evidence.

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For departments dealing with public records requests, media scrutiny, or high caseloads, cloud-based platforms with secure anytime, anywhere access reduce the burden on staff while improving the outcome for everyone involved.
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It’s Time to Move Forward

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If you’re still uploading to thumb drives, burning discs, or relying on your IT team to patch together a broken storage system—you’re working harder than you should have to. Cloud-based DEMS don’t take away control. They give it back. Every access point is logged. Every video is traceable. The chain of custody is airtight. And, your officers, supervisors, prosecutors, and partners can finally work from the same clear picture.

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The goal isn’t just efficiency—it’s confidence. Confidence that the evidence holds up. That your processes are clean. That your agency is ready whenever an incident arises. As Lt. Churchill said, it’s not about the tech—it’s about justice. Getting it right, and getting it done.

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Want to see how it could work for your agency?

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Explore POLARIS by Utility™ and STRAX with Utility™, or reach out to our team to schedule a private demo using the form belowPOLARIS by Utility™ (Explainer)

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