NPIA Funding
Saturday, 24 January 2009 00:00
NPIA announced on the 30th December 2008 that a further £30million has been assigned to police forces across the country.
A further 25 police forces are to benefit from funding this year following the Government’s commitment to equip the police forces with mobile date devices to improve efficiency whilst out on the beat.NPIA announced on the 30th December 2008 that a further 30 million has being assigned to police forces across the country.
The new Funding is in addition to £50 million provided by the Government earlier this year to deliver 10,000 devices by the end of September 2008 for phase one of the programme. The target was exceeded and there are now over 13,000 handheld computers being used by frontline officers.
About Mobile Information
The Prime Minister announced in September 2007 that 10,000 handheld computers would be operational within 12 months. The Home Office responded by providing £50 million capital investment for the NPIA to support police service in delivering this pledge.
Forces were asked to apply for a portion of the £50 million, detailing how they would deliver mobile devices to their area. Phase 2 is focused on supporting the forces that were unfunded in phase one. Total Government funding for phase two is £30 million.
The following 25 forces were successful in their bid for a portion of this money:
Avon and Somerset Constabulary, City of London Police, Cleveland Police, Cumbria Constabulary, Devon and Cornwall Constabulary, Dorset Police, Durham Constabulary, Dyfed-Powys Police, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Greater Manchester Police, Gwent Police, Hampshire Constabulary, Merseyside Police, Norfolk Constabulary, Northumbria Police, North Wales Police, South Wales Police, South Yorkshire Police, Suffolk Constabulary, Surrey Police, Sussex Police, Warwickshire Police, West Mercia Constabulary, West Midlands Police and Wiltshire Constabulary.
The two agencies who have received funding are ACPO Terrorism and Allied Matters and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA).
The 27 phase one forces now using the hand-held computers are: the East Midlands Collaboration, (made up of Nottinghamshire Police, Leicestershire Constabulary, Lincolnshire Police, Derbyshire Constabulary and Northamptonshire Police), Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, Association of Police Forces in Scotland (all eight Scottish forces), British Transport Police, Staffordshire Police, Cheshire Constabulary, Essex Police, Lancashire Constabulary, Hertfordshire Constabulary, Thames Valley Police, Yorkshire collaboration (North Yorkshire Police, West Yorkshire Police, Humberside Police), Kent Police and the Metropolitan Police Service.
The Mobile Information Programme provides an opportunity to deliver on Sir Ronnie Flanagan Review of Policing Recommendation 10, which aims to reduce bureaucracy.
Some of the themes highlighted in Sir Ronnie Flanagan's review, include:
- Reducing unnecessary bureaucracy in business processes by managing information better
- Increasing efficiency and effectiveness of the police service
- Increasing the presence of the police service in the community
It is hoped TETRAtab will enable a revolutionary change to business practices and procedures within the Public Safety Services sector.
