A new approach to police ICT

A police ICT company will provide vital services to UK police forces in their drive for operational effectiveness.

Technology and information are two of the most important weapons used by the police in their fight against crime. How they buy and manage complex information communications technology (ICT) provisions is critical to their success.

New police ICT company

The new company will be responsible for the procurement, implementation and management of ICT solutions and associated business change.

The four aims of the company are to:

• improve the value for money that the police receive from their spending on ICT services
• enable greater innovation in police ICT so that officers have access to the best new technologies
• free-up chief officers from in-depth involvement with ICT management
• ensure services and products support forces and other customers in their drive for interoperability

Different from anything we have seen before

The company will be owned by police and crime commissioners (when they take office) and chief constables, as customers will be key determiners of what services the new company provides. It will be responsive to local operational needs, offering forces a route to better services and better deals.

The company will be staffed by ICT and commercial professionals, who will have the expertise to negotiate and manage large contracts and provide police forces with world-class advice and support.

The staff will ensure a more efficient approach to police ICT provision and aggregate demand to exploit the purchasing power of the police service, to get a good deal for the taxpayer.