On 18 July 2019, Europol published a report entitled “Do Criminals Dream of Electric Sheep? – How technology shapes the future of crime and law enforcement.” The report aims at identifying security threats in relation to new emerging technologies, which can have disruptive effects. The report is also designed to give answers to the challenge of proactive policing and to develop Europol’s foresight analysis capacities.

The report looks at key technological developments that are assumed to have a severe impact on the criminal landscape such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing, 5G, Dark web networks and cryptocurrencies, the Internet of All Things, 3D printing, molecular biology and genetics. It sets out necessary steps for the law enforcement authorities.

In its conclusions, the report underlines that the opportunities for law enforcement to make use of these technologies are as great as the challenges they pose. Hence, the report stresses the need for law enforcement authorities to invest in understanding these new technologies, to adapt their organisational cultures, to engage with providers, and to take part in scientific discussions. Key factors to maximise effectiveness are seen in resource sharing, joint approaches at national and European level, international cooperation and a robust legal framework.