Control room evolves to meet new demands

North Wales Police is upgrading its control room with an integrated system that provides next-generation unified communications, contact management, incident management and dispatch.

It will give the force a single platform for both emergency and non-emergency forms of contact centre and control room communications, including radio, telephony, email and web chat. This will enable skills-based routing of communications, provide more information on both people and properties at the point of contact through integration with other police systems, and deliver automated management information reporting.

North Wales Police will upgrade its existing Frequentis communication control system to the company’s 3020 LifeX software platform that provides integration with Hexagon Safety and Infrastructure’s Intergraph® computer-aided dispatch (I/CAD) incident management and dispatch system.

The integrated system will enable the use of a ‘single workstation per operator position’ and commercial-off-the-shelf hardware and virtualisation in the data centre. The software platform will also support North Wales Police’s transition to the new Emergency Services Network (ESN).

Earlier this year, the force implemented a ‘known callers’ module as part of its I/CAD system to identify repeat and vulnerable callers at the point of contact. It can also automatically alert operators to any potential risk of dispatching officers to premises where legally-held firearms may be present.

Paul Shea, North Wales Police control room manager, said the new platform will not only “enhance communications with the public through all media channels”, but also support the force to be ready for the transition to ESN, adding: “It is just what we need to allow us to concentrate on policing.”

Maximilian Weber, Hexagon’s senior vice-president EMEA, said the upgrade at North Wales Police “will truly help them with public contact and officer dispatching in the future”, adding: “Not only will it bring efficiencies within the police control room, but also give the public of North Wales a better service.”

Hexagon recently equipped Uttar Pradesh Police, the largest police force in India, with its I/CAD software as part of the state-wide, centralised ‘Dial 100’ emergency operation centre in the provincial capital, Lucknow, which houses India’s largest police emergency response system.

The suite of public safety software will enhance incident management and agency-wide reporting in India’s most populous state, serving 220 million people across 75 districts. The new 24/7 operation centre will have up to 250 call takers

and 150 dispatchers to manage 200,000 estimated calls per day via its emergency hotline services – landline, VoIP, SMS, email, social media and mobile application.

The public can upload pictures, texts and videos in English and their local dialects, which can be tagged to recorded calls. Information is shared with frontline police via mobile applications.

A key highlight is the deployment of 200 female communication officers to ensure quick response to women in need of assistance.