Olly Martins, Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, has approved
investment in new mobile devices to increase productivity and the time officers
can spend on the front line, it has been revealed.
The first stage of the investment plan will see a pilot scheme launched next month (September) with officers from each of the north and south local policing teams, as well as some senior officers, testing the technology. Three different devices will be trialled in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire to gather feedback about which is most suitable to roll out more widely to operational policing teams.
The force is planning to upgrade the equipment currently available to police officers while on the move from Blackberrys to tablets under investment plans announced by the Commissioner. The aim is to improve efficiency and save money in the long-term to help the force deliver further economies of scale in its budget.
As part of the initiative, the Force is planning to provide police officers with tablet computers to enable them to complete paperwork and witness statements on the move without the need for returning to the police station. The mobile devices would allow officers to carry out their work at their current location and would provide access to real time information as well as emails, the intranet and all the programmes available at their desk top.
Announcing the investment plans, Commissioner Martins said: “This is the latest element of our plan to save £7.5million but avoiding cuts to the front line. We are still facing a challenging financial future but police officers and staff cannot work any harder than they currently are. With this in mind, the intention is to better equip officers so that they can work smarter and more successfully than before, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. It's all about investing to save.
“With increased data at their fingertips, the evidence-gathering process will become much easier and officers will be able to make better informed judgements in the field. The public would much rather have officers on patrol in their communities than filling in paperwork in the office and mobile devices will help increase visibility and make people feel safer.
“The technology will be trialled initially to determine product suitability but the long-term plan is to roll out mobile technology more widely to improve detection rates and ensure officers have the right tools for the job.”
“I want to invest in providing the right tools to do the job and it has to be right for operational officers,” said Chief Constable Colette Paul. “The aim of the pilot scheme is to gather feedback about which device is most suitable for rolling out on a wider basis. We want those people on the frontline to be part of developing the programme, as ultimately they will be the ones using the technology.”
The first stage of the investment plan will see a pilot scheme launched next month (September) with officers from each of the north and south local policing teams, as well as some senior officers, testing the technology. Three different devices will be trialled in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire to gather feedback about which is most suitable to roll out more widely to operational policing teams.
The force is planning to upgrade the equipment currently available to police officers while on the move from Blackberrys to tablets under investment plans announced by the Commissioner. The aim is to improve efficiency and save money in the long-term to help the force deliver further economies of scale in its budget.
As part of the initiative, the Force is planning to provide police officers with tablet computers to enable them to complete paperwork and witness statements on the move without the need for returning to the police station. The mobile devices would allow officers to carry out their work at their current location and would provide access to real time information as well as emails, the intranet and all the programmes available at their desk top.
Announcing the investment plans, Commissioner Martins said: “This is the latest element of our plan to save £7.5million but avoiding cuts to the front line. We are still facing a challenging financial future but police officers and staff cannot work any harder than they currently are. With this in mind, the intention is to better equip officers so that they can work smarter and more successfully than before, reducing costs and increasing efficiency. It's all about investing to save.
“With increased data at their fingertips, the evidence-gathering process will become much easier and officers will be able to make better informed judgements in the field. The public would much rather have officers on patrol in their communities than filling in paperwork in the office and mobile devices will help increase visibility and make people feel safer.
“The technology will be trialled initially to determine product suitability but the long-term plan is to roll out mobile technology more widely to improve detection rates and ensure officers have the right tools for the job.”
“I want to invest in providing the right tools to do the job and it has to be right for operational officers,” said Chief Constable Colette Paul. “The aim of the pilot scheme is to gather feedback about which device is most suitable for rolling out on a wider basis. We want those people on the frontline to be part of developing the programme, as ultimately they will be the ones using the technology.”
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