The SMARTPolice project helps the Police give a better public service. It allows Police Officers to spend more time in the community engaging with members of the public.
What is SMARTPolice?
SMARTPolice is about enabling a more modern, mobile approach to policing.
We live in a world where we have become used to having access to information and communication at all times. We wouldn't expect to have to go home to make a phone call, or back to the office to send an email. In the same way, the SMARTPolice project is looking at ways to make it easier for Police Officers to do their job.
SMARTPolice is much more than giving mobile devices to Police Officers. The project team is looking at how things are done today and asking, "how can technology help make this better?". This might lead to changes in process, reduction in paperwork and who does what.
Some Police Officers are already trying out the devices as part of their normal daily duties. You may see Officers using smartphones, tablets or laptops. Every week, the Officers send the project team feedback about what is, and is not, working well. It's important the project team understands this so they can make the right decisions for the rest of the Force. The devices need to be practical, and the Officers need to have the information and tools they need.
Why we need SMARTPolice
The SMARTPolice project will help the Police give a better public service. It will allow Police Officers to spend more time in the community engaging with members of the public. In the past, it may have been necessary to return to the Police Station to get information or complete paperwork. This won’t be necessary when everything is available on their mobile device.
Technology will also help cut down on paperwork and administration. Not needing to re-enter data when back at the Police Station will save time and money.
Benefits of SMARTPolice
SMART Police offers a number of benefits for both the Police, and the public.
It will allow the Police to be more visible, spending more time in the community and less time at the Police Station.
It will help Police Officers be more effective, putting the information they need in their hands, helping them make faster, more informed, decisions.
It will ensure processes and ways of working are more efficient, meaning less paperwork and administration and more time spent on actual policing
It will create one team, with better co-ordination and collaboration with other policing and legal units.
Challenges we faced
There are many considerations for a modern, mobile approach to policing.
Some of the challenges faced by the SMARTPolice team relate to criminal evidence and the legal system. The Police work closely with several law departments and courts. It is important these teams receive evidence in a format that is acceptable by law. In the past, this has meant lots of paper statements and handwritten signatures. In the future, this may need to change to digital evidence.
There are also practical considerations when giving mobile devices to Police Officers. Some Officers travel by motorbike and need an appropriate place to put their device. Others need to consider the risk of a screen breaking and any health and safety issues that could cause. Security also becomes an important consideration if a device is lost or stolen.
Mobile devices and new procedures will mean big changes for some members of the Police. Training and support is being created to help everyone successfully move to the new ways of working.
Feedback from the Officers to select the correct devices for the different roles in the Police. Some roles may be best using a smartphone, and others may need a tablet or larger device. There will also be work to redesign some of the current Police systems to work better on mobile devices. Finally, a partner will be selected to develop useful new Police software.
The SMARTPolice project is about making sure the Officers have the systems and information they need, when they need it, on a device that is best suited to their role.
What’s next?
Phase 2 (specific Police Apps) will run until March 2019. These apps will improve data input and data quality, as well as enabling some core police activities to benefit from straight-through-processing, re-engineering other processes, and introducing important new technologies like electronic signatures, advanced mapping, and an electronic pocket notebook.
Business owner
Andrew Sugden
Project team
- Hazel Thompson, (Marbral) - Project manager
- Andrew Sugden - Project Sponsor
- James Wileman - Superintendent
- Liz Le Guillou - Head of Criminal Justice
- Craig Jackson - Inspector
- Simon Le Fevre - Voice of the Customer
- Nathan Lawrence - Head of IT
- Tony Hall - Procurement Lead
- Mark Smith - Information Security
- Ed Williams - Design Authority
- Stephen France - Delivery Manager
gov.je