Staffordshire’s Commissioner for Police, Fire and Rescue and Crime, Matthew Ellis today confirmed Boeing Defence UK (BDUK) will hand responsibility for technology services to the Force, after the delivery of a key IT platform in summer 2020.
Today’s news follows a joint decision that the time is right to end the IT partnership, which began in 2016. The move comes against the backdrop of a changing strategic focus for BDUK and a change in IT needs for policing in Staffordshire.
With Boeing’s delivery next year of the major IT system, Niche, a core platform, which brings together multiple systems and databases, the time will be right to bring the contract into Staffordshire Police. Thirteen police forces including Staffordshire are using, or will use, Niche.
Mr Ellis said:
‘Technology across policing has evolved significantly in the last few years. Over 40 police services across the country were broadly doing their own thing, technology wise, back in 2013 and it was clear that Staffordshire Police’s IT was in need of significant investment.
‘The Force’s IT was outdated and there was a need to provide the Force with digital capabilities to meet the demands of modern policing. A strategic provider, Boeing, was chosen from more than 50 companies.
‘Progress has been made by Boeing over the last few years, but priorities for both Boeing and policing technology have changed, as have the demands upon them.
‘Boeing wish to refocus their work elsewhere and this has come at an opportune time with our agreement to part company on the best of terms, after delivery of the key Niche system in 2020.’
Boeing and the Force are working closely together to ensure a smooth transition of technology services from July 2020. The staff affected, around 50 people, will be fully supported throughout the transition.
Al Potter, Managing Director of Government Services for Boeing UK, said:
‘Since this partnership began we have stabilised IT systems, introduced new IT capabilities and next year will introduce a major transformational project (Niche) that will be used by Staffordshire and 12 other police forces.
‘This comes at a time of a changing strategic focus for BDUK. We are proud of our collective work across the partnership and to have served Staffordshire Police and the Commissioner’s office.’
Nick Baker, Temporary Chief Constable, said: ‘The ongoing transformation of the Force’s IT is critical to changing and modernising the way we work and I want to thank everyone who has worked hard to deliver this contract on behalf of the Force over the past few years.
‘It has put us in a better place to continue to make progress on the Force’s technology refresh programme, helping us to become more efficient and effective and to stay one step ahead in the face of the challenges policing is facing.’
