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New Automatic Vehicle Location System for Norfolk Constabulary
Members of the public in Norfolk can expect faster response times to emergency calls with the arrival of an Automatic Vehicle Location System (AVLS) from APD Communications.
Automatic Vehicle Location System, complemented by satellite navigation, is helping the Contact and Control Room send the nearest, most appropriate resource to emergency calls. Controllers are able to know precisely where the vehicles are and how long it will take for a vehicle to reach an address and, by using satellite navigation, deliver the route directly to the driver.
It is a system that has similarities to that used by the regional ambulance service. Importantly, response vehicles are not waiting at bases to be deployed – they are patrolling across the county 27/7 – ready to respond instantly when they are needed.
This is especially important for Norfolk as it is the fifth largest non-metropolitan county in England and Wales. Deploying the most appropriate resource based on actual location is a significant opportunity to improve our service standards and meet the clear standards of the Norfolk Policing Pledge.
AVLS is being introduced into all response vehicles and the majority of all other vehicles, including road policing, armed response and dog handling vehicles. The system provides up-to-date information on the location of vehicles and consists of a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver that is fitted in the vehicle, a communications link between the vehicle and the Contact and Control Room, and computer tracking software to be used by the controller.
Contact and Control Room Superintendent Stuart Gunn said: "The new Automatic Vehicle Location System will allow our officers to respond to emergency calls quicker. It is based on the very latest technology and provides excellent reliability. The ability for the controllers in our Contact and Control Room to be able to send directions straight to a vehicle and to pinpoint officers' locations puts Norfolk at the forefront of modern policing.
"We have introduced this new system as it puts people first. We will send the most appropriate available resource to each emergency call. The standards of the Norfolk Policing Pledge are clear - we aim to answer 999 calls within 10 seconds, deploying to emergencies immediately giving an estimated time of arrival, getting to you safely, and as quickly as possible.
Also included is Automatic Person Location System (APLS) which will come into effect later this year. APLS functions through officers' Airwave radio handsets which are carried at all times. The system is fundamentally for officer safety as our controllers will know the precise location of the officers on patrol.
Superintendent Gunn added: "Our priority is the safety of the public and our officers. Knowing the exact locations of our officers will allow us to better serve the needs of the public. We will send the nearest, most appropriate officer to emergency calls, providing a more effective deployment. If an officer is in a difficult or vulnerable situation, then the controllers in our Contact and Control Room will know that officer's location. Using APLS, the controller can identify the next nearest and quickest available officer and send them to their aid."
