UK Police Computer Management Taken Over by Home Office ICT Firm
Police-Owned ICT Reform Initiative Announced by Theresa May in 2012
In 2012, Home Secretary Theresa May announced a significant initiative to reform the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems of the police forces in England and Wales. The aim was to modernize and streamline these systems, enhancing efficiency, interoperability, and cost-effectiveness.
May described the current ICT management in the police forces as "confused, fragmented," and "expensive." The current system was considered broken, with 5,000 staff working on more than 2,000 different systems across 100 data centers. One supplier currently had over 1,500 contracts across all the police forces, a situation that was considered unusual.
The Home Secretary emphasized the need for the new company to exploit the purchasing power of the police service as a whole. The goal was to aggregate the requirements of as many police forces as possible, ideally all 43 forces, to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The police currently spend approximately £1.2 billion per year on ICT.
May believed that the new company should not be managed by government or civil servants. Instead, it should be police-led, as they are better equipped to understand the ICT systems required for fighting crime. However, she did not provide details on how the new company would be funded or how it would operate beyond being police-led and aggregating requirements.
The Home Secretary did not specify the exact nature or purpose of the new ICT system, only that it should be reformed and more efficient. She highlighted that good ICT systems and services are considered vital for modern policing.
Despite the lack of specific details, the initiative marked a significant step towards modernizing police ICT systems. Over subsequent years, progress included consolidating ICT services, improved collaborative platforms, and initiatives like the National Law Enforcement Data Programme. However, the comprehensive reform took longer than initially anticipated, facing challenges such as slow uptake, complexity of integration, and budget constraints.
For precise, updated information on the progress and outcomes of this initiative, consulting official Home Office reports or police ICT governance documents would be required.
The Police-Owned ICT initiative announced by Theresa May in 2012 aimed to modernize and streamline the ICT systems of the police forces in England and Wales. The new company, to be police-led, was expected to exploit the purchasing power of multiple police forces and aggregate their ICT requirements to enhance efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This was part of a significant step towards modernizing police ICT systems, with the ultimate goal of having better, more efficient technology for the policing of the 21st century.
