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Mobile Data improves efficiency with BTP
British Transport Police (BTP) is pioneering the use of new mobile data technology to improve efficiency. The BAPCO Journal takes a closer look at the project...
British Transport Police (BTP) is pioneering the use of new mobile data technology, which helps officers spend more time on the beat and thus making quicker arrests.
The mobile solution has been developed by mobile data specialist, Beat Systems, and provides officers with real-time access to multiple core operational systems. This means that officers are able to spend an extra 1.5 hours per day patrolling the streets, which helps to increase public safety as a result of more visible policing.
Following the initial contract award in January 2006, valued in excess of £1m, for which BTP received PITO (Police Information Technology Organisation) funding to aid its mobile data project. In fact,it has already passed the acid test in delivering on-the-ground intelligence that resulted in an arrest which may otherwise have taken longer to secure. The solution which was finally rolled out in October of this year and has been fully used in anger since this time, has had the direct result of seven arrests to date that again would have taken longer to secure, if at all.
The solution
The Beat mobile solution is hardware, bearer and operating system independent. Proven and tested over TETRA Airwave, the technology delivers the flexibility expected by any force. BTP is exploiting the solution’s flexibility by exploring the use of a mixed economy of devices, the roll out of Stage One has included the use of 600 PDAs (XDA 11i) and Motorola Airwave PDAs, and tablet PCS.
Designed to be used over both Airwave and GPRS networks for maximum benefit, roll-out will be completed by the end of March 2007. There will be 400 GPRS devices in the underground PLUS 100 Airwave devices and a further 100 GPRS devices throughout the force.
The solution is designed to perform in connected and disconnected mode, this means that it can be used in the underground without on-line connectivity. There are plans to provide Airwave coverage in the underground by 2009 via lossi feeders, this will extend the on-line capability of the solution into the tunnels.
Andrew Watson, Chief Information Officer for BTP, says, “Beat Systems mobile data solution has delivered the force’s vision to improve operational effectiveness, deliver efficiencies and increase public confidence.
The solution is leading the way in police mobile data technology. Not only is real-time information leading to more arrests but the ease with which information can be recorded in the field is significantly boosting the volume and quality of intelligence reports.”
Watson continues, “The use of mobile technology eliminates a massive administration burden from police officers, releasing them to concentrate on the job they are trained to do. Furthermore, it ensures that information is up-to-date and accurate.”
Using Beat Systems Single Point Functionality officers in the field have a single log on and simultaneous access to the following five force and national systems :-
PNC for searching of Names and Vehicles;
Command & Control for Retrieval of Incident Data and Log Lines with Log Line Update from the field and Log Line Broadcast from the Control Room;
Force Intelligence System for Searching of Intelligence Reports, STOPS and Nominals with Intelligence Reports and STOPS updated from the field (STOP tickets are also issued in the field using Force Crime System for Crime Report Retrieval with Police Action Update from the field;
Multiple searches
The Electoral Register for searching of address information with retrieval of Electoral Role Data Single Point Functionality enables officers in the field to submit a single name or vehicle enquiry from their handheld application to the Mobile Gateway. The Gateway then manages multiple searches against all of the force and national systems returning the search results into the hands of the officers where it is needed most.
Even more importantly in the event of a major incident situation, the system is a multi-agency solution that can communicate through the solution to local government, etc. The in built technology that achieves this is called REACH.
The future
A further phase of the roll-out will see the inclusion of the Northgate PND (Penalty Notice for Disorder) system onto the platform for the recording and issuing of tickets in the field. Following this, the next step is a £1.2 M project funded by Scottish Executive to take the product to highly technical advanced stage maintaining a market lead. Enhanced functionality includes: Speech recognition, Images, ANPR and Video from CCTV Cameras and further enhancement of current voice activated functionality.
In summary, Beat Systems enables its customers to capture essential business processes and engineer mobile solutions where sensitive data is required to be delivered securely to remote field staff and is 100 percent focused on secure mobile data services. By working closely with public sector organisations in the UK, Beat Systems successfully delivers mobile solutions over TETRA Airwave and GPRS.
