The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) has awarded £21 million, three-year contract to mobile operator EE to supply mobile services.
It includes the provision of Samsung handsets loaded with Motorola’s Pronto digital notebook software and managed by BlackBerry’s mobile device management system.
SPA said operational use of the devices is expected to begin this year, and that they will bring together data from a range of sources, increasing the capability of officers on the beat.
They will initially be assigned to Response and Community Policing officers and those in the Roads Policing and Specialist Services Division, and ultimately given to 10,000 officers across Scotland.
Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said: “This contract signifies the commitment Police Scotland and the SPA have in leading the force into a more digitally focussed future.
“The use of mobile devices will revolutionise the way officers and staff access systems, currently only available from desktop and laptop computers within police stations, enabling them to work on crime prevention and community based policing to keep people safe, whether in the public, private or virtual space.
“We look forward to working with EE and suppliers on this project, which is a significant investment for the future of policing in Scotland.”
High speed
David Wallace, public sector director in Scotland for BT Enterprise, parent company of EE, emphasised the importance of its high speed 4G network in supporting the operation.
The Pronto-equipped devices will be able to record data and images in compliance with criminal justice requirements, with information auto-populated in relevant fields. Officers will be able to access local and national police databases, including the Scottish Criminal History System and the Police National Computer.
Graham added: “Pronto allows our officers to access vital information from police systems when out of the police stations, improving their accuracy and effectiveness whilst dealing with incidents, solving crimes and assisting victims.”
An increase in mobile working is a key element in the Digitally Enabled Policing Programme (DEPP), one of the strands of the Serving a Changing Scotland (2026) Strategy.
Image from Motorola
