When I first put on the detective’s badge, I never imagined I’d one day trade it for a tech founder’s title. Yet, here I am, reflecting on how a simple dream has evolved into a tool that’s changing the way investigations are done around the world.
I was drawn to law enforcement by a fascination with solving complex cases—piecing together clues, uncovering the truth, and delivering justice. But as I worked my way through the ranks, I quickly realised that investigations weren’t just about skill and intuition; they were often bogged down by an overwhelming amount of paperwork, inefficiencies, and outdated processes.
Like many who end up in law enforcement, my journey started with a simple fascination with detective work. As a kid, as cliché as it sounds, I’d spend hours lost in the pages of Sherlock Holmes, completely captivated by how he could take a jumble of clues and make sense of them when no one else could. It wasn’t just the mysteries that drew me in—it was the idea that with enough observation and insight, you could uncover the truth hidden beneath the surface. Elementary, my dear Watson," always stuck with me. It made me wonder—what if solving cases could actually be that straightforward and intuitive?
This wasn’t just a childhood fantasy—it was the start of what would eventually become Comtrac and its core methodology, "Elementising Evidence™." The name really reflects two things: the technical side of mapping evidence to case elements, and perhaps subconsciously, a bit of that Sherlock Holmes-style analysis I admired so much.
When I joined Queensland Police Service, that childhood dream started to take shape in the real world. As a detective, I quickly saw just how complex and urgent investigations could be. Every case that landed on my desk wasn’t just another file—it was someone’s life, a person waiting for justice, victims looking for closure, and communities relying on a quick resolution. Whether I was dealing with complex criminal cases, responding to domestic violence calls, or managing public order issues, one thing was always true: time was never on our side.
The traditional investigative process often felt like trying to find a needle in a haystack, with key evidence buried under piles of information. I couldn’t help but think back to those Sherlock Holmes stories, wishing the evidence would just “pop out” at me, showing its importance and how it all connected. I knew there had to be a better way—a method that could make investigating feel more intuitive, just like I’d always imagined.
My drive to make things more efficient led me to develop what I called "Elementising Evidence™." It wasn’t something that happened overnight; it came from hours of watching how experienced investigators tackle cases, breaking down the key elements of each offense, and figuring out how evidence ties into each critical point. The goal was simple: create a method that could make the complex more straightforward and help make the overwhelming feel a little more manageable.
But the real breakthrough came with the integration of artificial intelligence. What started as a methodological framework has evolved into something that would have seemed like science fiction in Holmes's era—a system that can actually make evidence "pop out" just as I'd imagined all those years ago. Our proprietary AI doesn't just store evidence; it actively analyses it, identifying relevant information and automatically mapping it to points of proof. It can even suggest new lines of inquiry, acting as a digital partner in the investigative process.
Today, Comtrac has grown far beyond what I first imagined, and we’re now helping transform investigative work all around the world. We’ve been able to boost efficiency by as much as 75%, enabling one investigator to do the work that used to take four. With our AI services and the Elementising Evidence™ methodology, we've automated some of the most time-consuming parts of the job—like document preparation. What used to take weeks or months to put together—things like comprehensive briefs of evidence—are now generated automatically as the investigation moves forward. The system can even create court-ready documents, like domestic violence applications, enforceable undertakings, search warrants and arrest reports, in just minutes instead of hours.
One of the moments I’m most proud of in this journey was witnessing how Comtrac transformed domestic violence response for a state police agency. They had been struggling with a crisis that made headlines—officers were spending 4-6 hours offline preparing domestic violence applications, severely limiting their ability to respond to other incidents. The situation had become so dire that it was contributing to significant attrition rates, with officers and their unions voicing concerns about drowning in paperwork and timeline pressures. It’s a tough situation, and I’m grateful that we could help make a difference.
With Comtrac those hours of paperwork turned into minutes. Officers reported that the system not only relieved their administrative burden but actually enhanced their investigative work by identifying evidence they might have overlooked. Most importantly, they could now spend more quality time with victims at the scene, knowing that the mountain of paperwork waiting at the station would be managed efficiently by Comtrac. The success of this implementation quickly caught the attention of other police agencies nationwide, all facing similar challenges.
But more importantly, we're helping fulfil that fundamental promise I made to myself as a detective: to help deliver justice as swiftly and effectively as possible.
The young kid who spent hours reading about Sherlock Holmes never could have imagined that technology would one day make investigation this intuitive. But here we are, using AI to turn what used to be an art into a science, making complex cases easier to navigate. With Comtrac, we’re not just managing investigations—we’re changing the way justice is served, one case at a time.
What started as a detective's dream has become a reality that's helping investigators everywhere. From police detectives to environmental regulators, financial crime investigators to professional standards units—anyone tasked with identifying points of proof and solving cases can now work with unprecedented efficiency and insight. Whether they're investigating criminal offences, environmental breaches, financial misconduct, or professional standards violations, these diverse investigators share a common goal: to uncover truth and deliver justice. And while Sherlock Holmes may have relied on his magnifying glass, today's investigators have something even more powerful: a digital partner that brings that same level of analytical insight to every case, every time.
The future of investigation is here... and yes, I know, it sounds a bit cheesy, but it’s true—it's elementary!
Craig Doran
CEO and Founder | Comtrac
