Police at 27 forces will receive a total of 10,000 handheld
devices to help them stay on the beat for longer after the
government announced £50m funding.
This will enable police forces to reduce the time officers spend
in the station filling in reports and increase the time they spend
attending to front line duties.
This follows
a report published in February on the future of policing in
England and Wales. It found that better use of technology will be
needed to help cut red tape and
enable officers to spend more time on the street.
The review, carried out by chief inspector of constabulary,
Ronnie Flanagan, was published by the Home Office. Flanagan
predicted measures such as overhauling the stop-and-search system
and reducing paperwork could save five million man hours a
year.
"We are investing in new technology to make crime fighting more
effective and to save officers' time," said Tony McNulty, minister
for policing.
Forces were asked to apply for a portion of the £50m funding to
the National Policing Improvement Agency, detailing how they would
manage procurement, staff training and ensuring that the technology
and infrastructure were in place and in operation by either
September 2008 or March 2009.
Richard Earland, chief information officer at the
National Police Improvement
Agency, said, "Officers who have access to databases, such as
the Police National Computer, command and control and intelligence
systems while out on patrol, will spend less time returning to the
station and more time on the frontline - therefore increasing
visibility and reassuring the public."