When a police department considers moving its critical operations to the cloud, it can feel like stepping into the future. But what happens when that "future" comes with unanticipated risks?
For law enforcement agencies, the stakes are high. What if sensitive case data, confidential criminal records, or surveillance footage are exposed due to vulnerabilities in a third-party cloud provider? The consequences could be devastating.
That’s why control is more important than ever. On-premises deployment offers a solution that provides exactly that—control. Keeping your infrastructure within your agency’s secure premises can significantly reduce potential risks and increase operational efficiency.
This post will explore the advantages of on-premises deployment for law enforcement agencies. We'll explain why maintaining control over your data, infrastructure, and security should be your top priority.
Whether you're looking to upgrade from outdated infrastructure or reassess your current setup, this guide will show why on-premises is the more intelligent, secure choice for agencies committed to protecting their data and their communities.
Law enforcement agencies handle highly sensitive and classified information, from confidential criminal investigations to witness statements, intelligence reports, and personal data. In an era where cybercrime is rising, and public trust is paramount, these agencies cannot afford to take chances with their data security.
Data breaches in law enforcement can lead to serious consequences—not only compromising investigations but also endangering officers' lives or the safety of witnesses.
With data being on the cloud, it poses a significant risk. According to the Harvard Business Review, over 80% of the data breaches were in cloud environments.
But it’s not just external hackers that agencies need to worry about. Misconfigurations or vulnerabilities in cloud platforms can also jeopardize sensitive data. A minor error in an online cloud environment could expose case files and surveillance footage or, worse, compromise ongoing investigations.
For instance, in July 2019, a cloud misconfiguration at Capital One led to a data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of people, resulting in a fine of $80 million."
These risks become magnified when you consider the high volume of external and internal actors trying to access this information.
Furthermore, there’s the challenge of compliance. Law enforcement agencies must adhere to strict regulations governing data storing, processing, and sharing, including privacy laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) standards. With cloud solutions, compliance becomes more complex. Not all cloud service providers can guarantee the same level of compliance as a department’s on-premises environment, leading to potential legal and regulatory violations.
It’s easy to get lured by the convenience and scalability promised by cloud-based solutions. Cloud services often come with enticing features such as automatic updates, accessible anywhere, and cost-efficient scalability. However, what cloud providers don’t advertise so openly are the hidden risks that come with those benefits.
One of the biggest concerns in law enforcement is control—or, rather, the lack of it. When a department’s data is stored off-site with a third-party cloud provider, the agency is no longer in charge of the underlying infrastructure, security protocols, or even the privacy of the data.
Critical decisions regarding access, storage, and digital evidence sharing are all in the hands of the provider, leaving law enforcement vulnerable to issues beyond their control.
While cloud providers may tout their robust security measures, remember that no system is waterproof. Data breaches have occurred with major cloud providers, some affecting high-profile clients. When a law enforcement agency relies on a cloud solution, there’s always the risk that a breach could expose sensitive information, leading to costly consequences.
Moreover, cloud services typically involve shared infrastructure, meaning your data is stored alongside other clients. In high-security environments like law enforcement, this sharing is an inherent risk.
What happens if a cloud provider is breached by a vulnerability in another customer’s data? What if the provider itself is compromised, leaving your data exposed in a way that’s completely out of your hands?
On-premises deployment mitigates these risks by keeping everything within your control—access, encryption protocols, or backup systems. With on-premises systems, agencies can enforce security policies and ensure that sensitive data remains shielded from unauthorized access.
"The solution to these security challenges is clear: on-premises deployment. By keeping sensitive data within the agency's secure environment, law enforcement can better control access, encryption, and overall security.
The most significant advantage of on-premises deployment is maintaining complete control over your data security. You set up, monitor, and enforce the security measures that fit your agency’s needs.
This includes firewalls, encryption, access protocols, and more. With cloud providers, you rely on their generic security settings that may not be tailored to the specific needs of law enforcement agencies.
On-premises systems allow you to store your data behind your security perimeter, offering better protection against unauthorized access, both internal and external. You can deploy advanced tools such as intrusion detection systems (IDS) and data loss prevention (DLP) solutions specifically suited to high-security environments.
Additionally, you have more control over the physical security of your servers. With cloud-based solutions, you trust a third party to manage your data’s physical security. On-premises, however, you can control the actual security of the data center, ensuring restricted access to only authorized personnel.
Maintaining regulatory compliance is much easier when your data is stored on-premises. Agencies must comply with strict guidelines such as the CJIS Security Policy and other local, state, or federal standards. On-premises deployments allow you to implement customized compliance controls that meet these standards, giving you confidence that you're always audit-ready.
When you rely on cloud-based systems, ensuring compliance can be challenging. You must vet your cloud provider thoroughly, constantly monitor changing regulations, and ensure that your data doesn’t inadvertently leave your jurisdiction. On-premises solutions take the guesswork out of compliance because you're directly responsible for ensuring it’s met.
Law enforcement agencies rely on 24/7 access to critical systems. Cloud providers may experience outages, which can cause significant downtime and disruption to operations. Whether a localized issue or a global disruption affecting the entire service provider, relying on a third-party platform for uptime can be risky.
On-premises deployments offer more predictable uptime. Agencies can implement their fail-safes, redundancies, and backup systems to ensure critical applications—like dispatch systems, records management, or surveillance software—are always operational, even in unexpected disruptions.
While the initial investment for an on-premises deployment can be higher than that for cloud solutions, it can become a more cost-effective option over time. Agencies can avoid ongoing subscription fees associated with cloud services and the uncertainty of fluctuating prices.
Additionally, once the infrastructure is in place, agencies have more control over the maintenance and upgrade cycles. They can optimize costs by investing in technology that specifically meets their needs rather than paying for features that may go unused.
On-premises solutions offer unmatched customizability. Law enforcement agencies often have unique needs that cloud providers cannot easily accommodate.
Whether it's specialized software, hardware configurations, or integration with legacy systems, on-premises deployment can be tailored to fit the specific requirements of each department.
In contrast, cloud solutions tend to offer more standardized features and require agencies to adapt their processes to fit the cloud provider's offerings.
Controlling your data and infrastructure is paramount in law enforcement, where every second counts and every piece of information could be critical.
Cloud services, while convenient, introduce risks that could undermine the security, compliance, and reliability that law enforcement agencies require to do their jobs effectively.
On-premises deployment addresses these concerns head-on by offering agencies complete control over their systems, ensuring data security, enabling seamless compliance with regulations, and providing unparalleled reliability and performance.
Although the initial costs might be higher than cloud-based options, the long-term benefits far outweigh the risks, particularly regarding security and control.
As law enforcement agencies continue to navigate an increasingly digital world, carefully considering the advantages of on-premises deployment is essential.
Regarding safeguarding sensitive information, maintaining operational continuity, and ensuring compliance with critical regulations, the control offered by on-premises solutions is not just an advantage; it’s a necessity.
By investing in on-premises infrastructure, law enforcement agencies can maintain the security, integrity, and trust vital to their work—empowering them to serve their communities confidently and reliably.
On-premises deployment refers to hosting IT infrastructure and data management solutions within the agency’s facilities rather than relying on third-party cloud providers. This ensures direct control over security, access, and compliance.
On-premises deployment allows law enforcement agencies to implement customized security measures, including encryption, access control, and physical security, providing better protection than cloud-based systems.
On-premises deployment offers greater control, improved security, easier compliance with regulations, better reliability, and long-term cost-effectiveness compared to cloud solutions.
On-premises deployment can have higher upfront costs, but it may be more cost-effective in the long run due to the elimination of ongoing subscription fees and the ability to customize the infrastructure to meet the agency’s specific needs.
On-premises solutions allow law enforcement agencies to manage and enforce compliance with industry regulations like CJIS directly, making it easier to ensure that all standards are met.
Yes, on-premises solutions can be customized to scale according to the department's needs. Agencies can expand infrastructure as necessary without relying on external cloud providers.
Cloud services come with the risk of data breaches, loss of control over data, compliance challenges, and potential downtime, which can all be mitigated with on-premises deployment.
The best option depends on the agency's specific needs. However, on-premises deployment is often the most secure and reliable solution for critical operations requiring maximum control over security, compliance, and uptime.
Transitioning from cloud to on-premises involves assessing current infrastructure, selecting appropriate hardware and software, ensuring compliance, and implementing security protocols. Working with experienced IT professionals is crucial for a smooth migration.