IT industry association techUK has urged police forces to develop interoperability strategies and prioritise solutions with open APIs as part of an effort to ensure the interoperability of digital systems.
Its Interoperability in policing working group (IPWG) has published a paper, Driving Interoperability in Police Procurement, to support police forces in achieving interoperability.
It said this comes from working with stakeholders and reflects worries that a lack of technical expertise in purchasing can lead to the deployment of incompatible or inefficient solutions, which can disrupt workflows and reduce efficiency.
This often results in wasted resources and increased costs, and adds to the complexity of integrating new with existing systems.
The document makes five recommendations, including the development a force level interoperability strategy. This should consider how to procure in a way that reduces direct dependencies between applications, reduces lock-in and improves agility for meeting new requirements.
It should also link to a national interoperability strategy with coordination by a central body.
Easing integration
Prioritising solutions with open application programme interfaces would make it easier to integrate systems, especially when supported by common data standards.
The other recommendations are to: develop the necessary skills and knowledge to manage technology procurement; evaluate and monitor the performance of the technology; and communicate and collaborate across sectors with market engagement sessions.
The report also identifies three key areas in procurement that need to be considered. First is in requirements and procurement specifications, with a need to research the market and be open to innovation.
Second is knowledge, covering an awareness of resources, technical and interoperability issues, technical capability and training, and compliance with relevant standards. Third is relationships and expectations between buyer and supplier.
Legacy complexity
“Additionally, the complexity of integrating new solutions with legacy systems may also require specialised skills, further increasing costs and implementation time,” the report adds.
“Therefore, having knowledgeable decision-makers who can assess not only immediate needs but also anticipate future requirements is essential to avoid pricy mistakes and ensuring the successful integration of technology solutions within the force.”
