Three police forces have deployed a new digital system for investigation interviews with two more to do so soon.
The Police Digital Service (PDS) said the forces for Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgshre have implemented the PACE-IC solution, with those for Surrey and Sussex due to have it online within the next few monts.
PACE-IC provides video and technology for scheduling, co-ordinating and conduction remote interviews within the Police and Criminal Evidence Act codes of practice. It enables officers and staff to check availability on their calendars, and to book in third party professionals such as defence lawyers and interpreters.
It is one element of the Video Enabled Policing (VEP) programme run by PDS, along with Police Witness Co-ordination for witnesses to attend court hearings remotely.
The VEP team was deployed within custody suites in each of the forces and has been assessing the deployments to which elements could be improved.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Corkin of Hertfordshire Police commented: “Coming from a crime investigation background, working with the VEP team has been a really exciting opportunity to help deliver digital innovations that save time for hard pressed investigators.”
