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Research commissioned to assess benefits of technology for improving emergency planning
New research, to find out how interactive technology can improve emergency briefings is currently being carried out by a team of experts from Leeds University because existing research into atypical incidents (such as the 7/7 bombings) has shown that the dissemination of operational information can be a major challenge.
Steljes, the company responsible for the mass adoption of the SMART Board™ interactive whiteboard, commissioned the research group AIMTech, (part of the Leeds University Business School) to conduct the research working with Gold and Silver Command centres throughout the UK.
Dr David Allen of AIMTech, said that while the use of SMART Board interactive whiteboards is relatively widespread throughout police forces in the UK, there has been no systematic academic research undertaken to establish how the technology is being used, and what benefits it delivers.
“Equally, no work has been carried out at the strategic level of emergency planning, primarily Gold, but also Silver Command. All forces now have teams in place to formalise both their internal response to a major incident and how they interact and co-operate. A critical element of such plans is how to provide a common operational picture to all of the services on the ground. Research into the 7/7 bombings and other atypical incidents, shows that the collation, analysis and dissemination of information has been problematic in the past.”
AIMTech will be working alongside a professional reference group with representatives from the Police Information Technology Organisation (PITO), Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and the Association of Chief Police Officers, to establish how the use of interactive whiteboards can increase understanding of intelligence, and whether the technology can lead to greater adoption of the National Intelligence Model.
Over the next six months the research team will be working with a number of organisations which use SMART Board interactive whiteboards, looking at both the processes used to identify, acquire and introduce the technology, and the resulting changes in delivering intelligence briefings and co-ordinating action at the strategic level in emergency planning.
The professional reference group will help researchers work closely with the sample organisations and send out findings to relevant parties. Detective Superintendent Colin Tansley of PITO said: “I am very happy to participate in the research project and would hope to see it improving the way front line staff are tasked and briefed with information. Testing technology in very different policing environments, alongside independent researchers, could provide all concerned with an invaluable insight and a foundation for future improvements.”
Results from the research are due to be published in June; for more information, contact the Public Safety Marketing team at Steljes on 08450 758 758.
