Surrey expands use of electronic notebook

Surrey Police is rolling out Pronto – the world’s first fully-functional electronic police notebook and information management solution – to an additional 500 users. Pronto is a comprehensive, flexible, mobile information solution from Kelvin Connect, an Airwave Group company, that streamlines and transforms core police business processes, putting the front line first.

Documented case studies have proven the business case for Pronto – Lothian and Borders Police has been using the product for over four years and has reported combined cashable savings of over £600,000pa.

According to Nigel Rees, managing director of Kelvin Connect: “The roll-out of Pronto across Surrey will build on the initial deployment and support the goal of delivering benefits to the force both in terms of enhancing support to frontline officers as well as realising significant cashable and non-cashable savings in the back and middle office through the streamlining of processes. This commitment is a reflection of the excellent shared approach to working with a true partnership between Kelvin Connect and Surrey Police.”

Pronto is also being used as part of the NPIA’s Electronic Witness and Signature Pilot Project in partnership with the Crown Prosecution Service and the first case using electronic witness statements was recently won by the Crown Prosecutor at Redhill magistrates’ court in Surrey.

Surrey Police has already rolled out Pronto to 380 of its officers, who are currently undergoing product training. The additional users mean that more than two thirds of their officers will be using Pronto.

“The officers are trained to use the Motorola ES400 handheld device, as well as the suite of software. The device enables users to search multiple databases simultaneously after entering the minimum mandatory search fields relating to a single nominal, vehicle or property item,” added Mr Rees.

Surrey Police has signed for the comprehensive package which includes a fully-managed service, together with access to the entire Kelvin Connect process suite.

“The Information Systems Improvement Strategy (ISIS) programme within the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) is supporting the criminal justice system by piloting the use of technology, such as Kelvin Connect’s Pronto, as part of the Evidential Witness Statement project,” said Inspector Kevin McCarthy, electronic witness statement project manager, ISIS, NPIA.

“The aim is to prove that we can streamline the process and improve the experience for the witness or officer, while enhancing the authenticity of the digital evidence.”