Next-generation digital policing

The London Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime has awarded a £155 million five-year ‘end-user services’ contract to help the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) create a ‘next-generation digital policing’ workplace.

The service is designed to increase flexibility for employees across the MPS, providing them with secure access to information and applications within both MPS locations and when their employees are mobile.

Under the contract, IT services specialist CSC will provide end-user services through its MyWorkStyle solution, including managed desktop, virtual desktop, mobility, tablet services, email, collaboration, instant messaging, web meetings, remote support and desk-side support. It will also deliver an enhanced catalogue for ordering new end-user services.

In a separate six-year contract valued at £95 million, CSC will also

provide hosting services such as infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS).

It is understood both contracts will also be made available to the Greater London Authority and its bodies, such as Transport for London, the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority and the London Development Agency, “should they wish to join the contract at any time during the contract period. It will also be available to other police forces within the UK”.

According to the global online technology publication The Register, the MPS is also expected to sign an £86 million deal with Accenture to manage its applications. The contract will last for five years, with the option of a three-year extension.

Over the past 12 months, the MPS has reviewed its technology contracts to rationalise and modernise its IT. Through its ‘Total Technology Programme – Infrastructure’ (TTPi), the force has opted for a multi-supplier service integration and management (SIAM) tower model to deliver all core IT services and infrastructure for police officers and staff. While reducing costs, improving services and delivering modern, the MPS said it needed a flexible ICT infrastructure to transform operations within the organisation.

Chris Naylor, director of digital policing at MPS said the SIAM model was “all about collaboration and leveraging the best capabilities from technology partners”.

“We look forward to working with CSC to help the MPS refresh, renew and replace a range of our IT devices and services, which will allow our people to work in a more agile way, using remote technology and a range of mobile and desktop devices. This contract will help us transform our IT to begin realising our ambition to become a truly mobile digital police service.”

Damien Venkatasamy, CSC industry general manager, UK public sector, said it was “delighted to have the opportunity to transform how the force uses IT as a key enabler in its move to digital, which is vital at a time of budgetary constraints and heightened demand on the MPS”.

He added that “with a mobile workforce of the scale and importance of the Met Police” it was critical to provide a solution that “supports its digital policing ambition and, critically, ensures police and support staff have access to information on a 24/7 basis, whenever and however they need it”.

In November, the MPS agreed a contract with digital-services provider Atos to deliver the SIAM layer of its TTPi.

Mr Naylor said that the contract award signalled “a change in the way we deliver ICT for the MPS”.

“We have a joint commitment to continuous improvement, delivering vital savings for the MPS over time and bringing innovation to the way the MPS delivers and supports technology for colleagues,” he said.

The MPS identified an efficient IT infrastructure as a prime enabler in its ‘One Met’ transformation programme to deliver its ‘20:20:20’ strategic priority – to decrease key crimes by 20 per cent, increase public confidence by 20 per cent and decrease costs by 20 per cent.

Atos will manage the force service desk, with a view to encouraging a shift to self-service, driving efficiency and providin