Cobourg, ON (March 8, 2023) – The V13 Policetech Accelerator, a joint initiative of the Cobourg Police Service and NCFDC, announced the launch of its Policetech Tested^TM badge at the Policetech Conference & Expo in Mississauga, Ontario on February 28, 2023. This unique program aligns with the Accelerator’s Pilot Stream activities, where testing and validation of new technologies happens in real-world scenarios.

The Accelerator’s Pilot Stream programming was designed to address a major bottleneck facing the two industries: early-stage companies with innovative technologies unable to break into the policing market, and policing organizations looking to connect with the most up-to-date innovations in the field. This approach allows academia, startups and SMEs to obtain real-world feedback from leading experts in their field, creating focused designs and products refined through end-user collaboration. Entrepreneurs work directly with front-line uniformed and civilian staff to integrate their knowledge and feedback on proposed use cases.

The badge’s theme: Tested By Police – For Police™ highlights the mandate of putting new and innovative technologies and solutions into the hands of police, leveraging a highly controlled and documented process to test and validate early-stage technologies for future applications in policing. The goal is to provide assurance that the products/solutions awarded the Policetech Tested™ badge have achieved a high level of quality, durability, functionality and applicability during testing as part of the Accelerator’s Pilot Stream programming.

“The Policetech Test^TM badge is the conceptual outcome of our work with the Cobourg Police Service over the last few years at Venture13, bringing together entrepreneurs and police professionals to inform the product design and development process,” said Wendy Curtis, Executive Director at NCFDC. “With this badge we are now able to formally validate the results of actual field testing with a highly visible and definitive mark, and encourage even more open collaboration and engagement through our policetech accelerator.”

“As policing continues to evolve, it is crucial that police services can access reliable products, technologies, and innovations tested and evaluated against the rigours of day-to-day police operations,” said Chief of Police Paul VandeGraaf. “The Policetech Tested^TM badge represents a specific standard met by new technologies based on real-world testing, piloting, or demonstrations. Providing a level of assurance in the technology.”

The Policetech Tested^TM badge is a trademark of the Policetech Accelerator. Any use of this trademark without associated licensing is strictly prohibited.

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