Thousands of extra hours of visible policing in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent are on the way after contracts were signed for new mobile technology by Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis.
The mobile data programme will transform the way police officers and PCSOs do their job by putting everything they need on mobile tablets at their finger-tips while out in communities, rather than sat behind a desk in a police station.
Mr Ellis has awarded a software contract which means new devices will be rolled out to all frontline officers, following training, in 2015.
The Commissioner said: “This is a game-changer for policing in Staffordshire.
“Too often the technology provided by police both nationally and locally is out of date by the time it’s delivered but that’s not going to happen this time.
“The roll-out of this state-of-the-art technology is probably the most radical and practical change to frontline policing in a generation.
“Providing the right tools for the job through the best and latest handheld technology will free up officers to be more visible for more of the time.
“We’ve stopped the planned cuts to neighbourhood policing in Staffordshire but it’s not just about officer numbers. This new technology equates to 3,000 extra frontline officer hours a week which is equivalent time-wise to 100 extra police officers on duty all the time.
“Police officers are currently wasting time entering the same information many times on different computer systems – and we’re going to consign that approach to history. Entering the information once, cutting bureaucracy and capturing and using digital evidence on the streets and beyond is where this is heading.
“Technology, which has already transformed other sectors in the last five to ten years, is now set to revolutionise policing to put Staffordshire ahead of any other force in the UK.”
Various devices will be available, will be personal issue and specific to the role of each officer. It will mean officers will no longer have to navigate through lots of systems but be able to access everything that is needed remotely.
Deputy Chief Constable Jane Sawyers, of Staffordshire Police, said: “By using mobile technology we can provide our officers with the best and most up-to-date information so they can make decisions that make a real difference for the local residents and those who become victims of crime.
“We absolutely believe it’s important that we make sure that the systems and mobile technology we deploy really helps us deliver the outstanding service our communities expect. It’s more than about having a tablet or mobile email – to make a real difference we are working to make sure that these mobile systems are integrated with the force systems. This means the information can be used by the teams who are supporting the officer working in the community as soon as it is captured.
“We want to use technology to help us work differently. We are working with our staff to redesign our processes and systems to ensure they support the best outcome for the victim or community rather than simply recreate existing systems on the mobile devices.
“We are really looking forward to using mobile data to increase the visibility of our officers and help keep our communities even safer.”
Although there are still substantial challenges ahead, finances are back on track which has allowed investment in new technology to revolutionise policing in Staffordshire, added Mr Ellis.
