More than 2,000 public service professionals gathered to learn about the latest groundbreaking industry technologies to meet growing citizen expectations
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - CentralSquare Technologies, an industry leader in public sector technology, has concluded its annual community conference, ENGAGE, convening representatives and leaders of the public sector industry from across the country. ENGAGE 2023 had the highest turnout of law enforcement and government technology professionals yet, with a 30% increase in customer attendance compared to 2022.
As citizen expectations of law enforcement and public services continue to evolve, ENGAGE provides a platform for idea sharing on how to best leverage technology to meet those needs, along with hands-on software training. ENGAGE hosted more than 200 breakout learning sessions this year, including 53 customer presentations and knowledge sharing sessions. Highlights included special speaking appearances from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), FirstNet and prominent public sector officials, including Chief Bernadette DiPino, former Chief Ocean City, Maryland PD and Sarasota, Florida PD and Chief Jeff Buchanan, Former Fire Chief of Las Vegas, Nevada, among others.
“ENGAGE fostered collaboration among thousands of public sector professionals, leveraging their diverse stories and perspectives to accelerate innovation. Our collective efforts are creating increased collaboration and process efficiencies that prioritize citizen-centric missions, allowing technology to seamlessly operate in the background,” said Manolis Kotzabasakis, Chief Executive Officer at CentralSquare Technologies. “We are proud to announce that since ENGAGE 2022, CentralSquare has grown its nationwide team of sworn officers to nearly 400,000 and is currently serving three out of four citizens across North America.”
With a shared drive to meet citizen needs, ENGAGE offered attendees an opportunity to discuss priorities and complex issues across safety and public services. The conference addressed imperative solutions that make the work of all public service officials efficient, intuitive and connected, ensuring communities’ safety and consistent service to citizens at every touchpoint.
“The public sector is undergoing a significant transformation, requiring us to adapt to the changing landscape and explore innovative ways to use technology to engage with and serve our communities,” said Jim McDonnell, Former Sheriff of Los Angeles County. “Staffing shortages, technology modernization, cybersecurity, data management and enhanced training are just a few of the challenges faced every day. CentralSquare consistently works to help overcome challenges by providing technological solutions, allowing agencies to keep pace with the needs of the communities that we serve.”
“Collaboration with a key software partner is essential to achieving a seamless and connected experience for all citizens,” said Ocean Sun, Controller Information System Division Manager for San Mateo, California. “Connecting with other agencies at ENGAGE allowed us to discuss the situations we face, including evolving citizen engagement and services through software tools and the benefits of cloud-based solutions. We had an opportunity to talk through how to best handle new technologies moving forward while we continued to meet the expectations of our citizens and build trust with our employees and the community.”
This year, CentralSquare launched its ENGAGE Awards, recognizing five exceptional customers who excelled in using innovative technology solutions to enhance citizen safety, collaborate effectively across networks and benefit their community within budgetary constraints. On behalf of CentralSquare Technologies Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting non-profits and public servants, CentralSquare donated to Habitat for Humanity Greater Nashville and Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation in honor of the ENGAGE Award winners. The attendees also had the opportunity to enjoy a live performance by the renowned country music artist Lee Brice.
CentralSquare’s ENGAGE 2024 is already in the works – please mark your calendar for ENGAGE 2024 in Dallas, Texas, from May 5-8 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center. For more information on ENGAGE visit: https://engage.centralsquare.com/.
About CentralSquare Technologies:
CentralSquare Technologies is the largest independent public sector software provider that powers all aspects of managing local government to build smarter and safer communities. Public sectors across North America use CentralSquare to enable efficiencies and a seamless end-to-end integrated experience by using innovative, cloud-based solutions and automation. CentralSquare’s scalable technology helps state and local agencies thrive operationally, even during states of emergency in public safety when every second counts. Its intuitive enterprise software also includes user-friendly platforms to support public administration agencies with finance, asset, compliance, case management and much more to drive better public experiences.
The company is headquartered in Lake Mary, FL, and has locations in North Carolina, South Dakota and British Columbia. More information is available at CentralSquare.com.