North Yorkshire Police have completed the development and trials of new mobile technology.
4G connected mobiles and tablets will reduce the time needed in returning to the station and the time behind the desk. Many of the tasks that would have needed a return to a base, can now be completed while out and about.
Tasks that the devices can now do:
- Gather evidence – video/ photographic and statements – they are automatically uploaded for other officers to review and give guidance to the officers at the scene.
- An incident dashboard that gives a central portal for information around an incident – this
- Ability to search police systems – the devices can interrogate local and national systems (Such as Niche, Storm and the PNC). This makes it easier to identify an individual and access to warning markers against an individual (eg known for carry a weapon or has previously assaulted an officer).
- Access to a dashboard that gives visibility of ongoing incidents and where other officers.
Harrogate PC Adam Smith was one of the first officers to use the new technology:
One of the biggest changes is that it saves a lot of time. That means we can be out and about much more and don’t have to keep returning to the station to do things like read a log or fill in paper forms.
You do this job because you enjoy working with people, so anything that increases the amount of time we can spend with people in our communities is a massive bonus. It’s sure to improve the way we work.
Superintendent Mike Walker, who has led the project for North Yorkshire Police, said:
People often tell us they like to see police officers and PCSOs out on the beat.
This technology means officers and PCSOs can spend more time keeping people and communities safe, and less time sitting behind a desk.
This is great on an individual basis, but when we scale it up across the county, the total amount of time we save as a force is massive.
This is truly innovative technology. It’s been developed specifically to reflect our needs as an organisation and, even more importantly, the needs of the communities we work in.
It’s been a huge project and I’m delighted with what we’ve achieved – it will help us deliver an exemplary level of policing right across North Yorkshire.
The software, called tuServ, has been specially developed by Bradford-based technology company, Black Marble.
It has been extensively tested by North Yorkshire Police over the past year, including around 2,000 signal tests all over the county, technical and security tests, and tests by officers who’ve volunteered to trial it. All the feedback has been used to help develop and refine the technology.
The roll-out is currently happening in phases so users can be fully trained in how to use the new system. Around 430 officer have already received training and the rest are expected to receive it by the end of May.
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