Airwave ‘accelerates’ mobile information roll-out

Airwave has finalised an agreement with the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) to provide mobile information solutions to the UK’s police forces as part of its £50 million Home Office-backed mobile information programme.

Airwave will roll-out its acceleration package as part of the NPIA Mobile Information Acceleration Programme, which is expected to transform policing by enabling rapid and widespread use of standardised mobile data technology.

The package enables forces to equip officers with devices that give direct access to the Police National Computer (PNC) and a host of other databases, as well as electronic pocket notebooks and online forms. This will result in significant cost savings and improve critical ‘on-the-spot’ decision making by frontline officers, thereby reducing crime and increasing officer safety.

Airwave believs the ‘Acceleration Programme’ is a ‘golden opportunity’ for forces to act strategically in adopting a standardised mobile data infrastructure, as advocated by Sir Ronnie Flanagan in his recent report.

Airwave’s package allows forces to tailor their solution, combining a choice of networks, devices, applications and support services. It will also help forces implement mobile information solutions with greater speed as it will negate the need for a lengthy procurement process.

Airwave’s national digital network is already used by every force for voice communication. Using Airwave for mobile information has the potential for interoperability between forces and with other public safety organisations such as the fire and ambulance services.

Lancashire Constabulary’s Airwave mobile solution, for example, has helped to keep officers on the beat for an additional hour per shift, and the Airwave network has provided a basic PNC access service for more than five years.

The NPIA sought to agree the acceleration package as part of the recent government allocation of £50 million towards the deployment of police mobile information to assist the roll-out of more than 10,000 mobile data devices to frontline officers by the end of September 2008.

Roger Marsden, client director for police forces at Airwave, commented: “Airwave is determined to help revolutionise life for frontline police officers by reducing paperwork and bureaucracy, speeding up and improving the quality of critical ‘on-the-spot’ decisions, increasing officer safety, combating crime, reducing unnecessary voice radio messages, maximising frontline patrol time and thereby improving public perceptions of the police.”

The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is to install the Airwave network throughout the Glasgow subway.

Airwave will replace the existing analogue radio system with its secure digital radio technology that is already being used and deployed by the emergency services and other public safety organisations throughout mainland Britain.

The Airwave system will provide radio communications in all trains, tunnels and stations. It will enable SPT personnel to benefit from secure and reliable coverage with one another and the subway control room. In addition, it will also provide SPT personnel with the ability to communicate with the emergency services and other public safety organisations.

The £4.19 million contract will run over a seven year period with Airwave designing, installing and managing the network.