The policing software archipelago: Why ‘buy not build’ is (nearly) always the right choice, even in the age of vibe coding

9th April 2026Michael Stephenson, Organisational Psychologist

In the first of three articles exploring UK policing’s ‘software archipelago’ – the interlocking landscape of platforms, systems, tools and infrastructure – organisational psychologist Michael Stephenson looks at the growing focus on organisations developing their own software using AI prompts, and why issues such as the regulatory complexity of policing systems means that in most (but not) all cases, buying rather than building is still the best option.

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The policing software archipelago: Why ‘buy not build’ is (nearly) always the right choice, even in the age of vibe coding

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