Police are required to operate in complex social, political, and organizational environments. Nowadays, challenging times highlight the role that police leaders play in ensuring that the organization is effective in dealing with such environments. The purpose of this paper is to expand the systematic review of literature of Pearson-Goff and Herrington (2014, ‘Police Leadership: A Systematic Review of the Literature.’ Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice 8(1): 14–26) by: (1) including studies after the date considered by the authors; (2) following the PRISMA-P approach to systematic reviews; and (3) include European studies. Based on 7,041 records, which ended up in 101 eligible empirical pieces, evidence supports previous findings about what are the characteristics of police leaders as well as the actions expected by them. This comprehensive systematic review also identifies additional characteristics and actions that are important nowadays in police leadership. Overall, the current study encourages future studies on the thematic, and contributes to practitioners aiming to develop continuous improvement strategies inside the police.

The urgent need for technological modernisation in law enforcement, particularly to combat cybercrime and enhance IT security, is evident. Current manual procedures are increasingly questioned regarding efficiency compared to advanced technologies like biometrics and AI, which are widely used elsewhere. This study evaluates the time, cost and security benefits of biometric sensors versus manual data entry. The methodology is post-positivist with an applied, explanatory approach using quantitative descriptive and inferential statistics. A post-positivist, applied and explanatory methodology, using quantitative descriptive and inferential statistics, was employed. Results from 175 records show that biometric sensors reduce data entry time to 13 minutes, compared to 8 hours and 21 minutes manually. Officers strongly support these technologies. Data from 2023 shows that 89% of 6,113 repeated item merges involve personal identification, highlighting the efficiency of automation. Biometric inputs improve data accuracy, essential for timely legal processes. The findings also reveal higher state expenditures on manual procedures, underscoring the need for technological investments to optimise resources. These results advocate for increased funding to modernise law enforcement, emphasising AI and biometrics as critical for enhancing operational efficiency and decision-making in combating cybercrime and securing IT systems.