New mobile technology allows staff to spend more time on the frontline

The pilot of new mobile technology for Police officers is proving a success, freeing up staff to spend more time on the frontline, preventing crime.

Earlier this year, more than 100 frontline staff across four areas (Counties Manukau West, Hawke’s Bay, Lower Hutt and West Coast) began trialling iPhones and Blackberry’s and last month were issued with iPads and laptops.

Police Commissioner Peter Marshall says the Mobility project is a Policing Excellence initiative, one of the common sense approaches underpinning the Prevention First Strategy.

“Staff are now able to be out in their communities, being highly visible in a preventative role, whilst still remaining productive, checking their emails and making notings in our National Intelligence Application (NIA), all without having to return to police stations.”

Last week, Commissioner Marshall met with some Lower Hutt staff trialling the new devices.

“These staff involved in the pilot project now have the technology which enables them to remotely query people and vehicles via our National Intelligence Application (NIA) and will soon be able to complete bail checks using the devices.”

The aim of the trial is to enhance officer and community safety, optimise use of police resources and create better service delivery at lower cost.

Commissioner Marshall says the public will benefit as they will have safer communities and receive an improved service from Police.

“There has been positive feedback from the staff involved in the trial to date. Based on this feedback, and a thorough analysis of benefits, Police will consider opportunities later this year for more full-scale deployment.”

The Mobility project is aimed at helping Police achieve a 13 percent reduction in total recorded crime, and a 4 percent increase in preventative activity by 2014/2015.