SUSSEX Police has been allocated £456,000 for state-of-the-art, handheld computers that will help officers spend more time in the community.
Officers, from a cross-section of the force, will pilot the handheld technology that will provide timely information to respond more quickly and appropriately. This could include receiving photographs of missing and wanted people, gathering photogr
aphic evidence at a scene, and access to databases, such as the Police National Computer and intelligence systems.
Officers will also be able to complete forms online whilst on patrol, reducing bureaucracy and the number of times they need to return to the station.
Sussex is to receive a portion of the £30 million devices being made available to 25 police forces and two agencies by the National Policing Improvement Agency, in the second phase of a programme to cut red tape.
Assistant Chief Constable Robin Merrett said, "Sussex Police is pleased to receive funding from the NPIA to enable frontline officers to benefit from handheld technology. This will make them more visible in the community, fighting crime and providing reassurance.
"We will ensure that officers from a broad section of the force will receive the computers so that everyone benefits."
Policing Minister Vernon Coaker said, "The successes of mobile information devices show how our investment in new technology is making crime-fighting more effective and saving officers' time.
"They are just one element of a range of improvements we are delivering to cut unnecessary bureaucracy, exploit new technologies and enable police officers to spend more time on front line policing in communities across the country."
The 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.
The full article contains 321 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
