Tablet rollout a ‘positive step’ to make policing fit for the future

Day-to-day policing has been transformed in Cheshire with officers being issued with hand-held tablet devices as part of the constabulary’s Digital Policing Programme.

The Surface 3 tablets, supplied by Microsoft, have now been fully rolled out to 1,675 officers across the force, which it says is enabling them to work more flexibly.

The chief constable and other senior officers from inspector level, together with response officers, beat officers, street triage officers, specialist units at police headquarters, CID officers and police community support officers, have been issued with the tablets.

Cheshire Constabulary says the aim of the project is to make policing more effective and further protect the safety of communities across Cheshire by keeping officers on the streets and enabling them to work more efficiently.

The tablets enable officers to capture digital evidence and remotely upload statements. This helps to speed up investigations and improve the quality of evidence gathered, while helping officers to spend more time working out in communities.

Superintendent Matt Welsted, who is leading the Digital Policing Programme, explained: “The rollout of Windows 10 tablets will underpin our position as an outstanding police force. Officers can now spend more time out on the streets while also doing some of the many other tasks required of them.

“The digital world is a tremendously fast-moving area, but the move to Windows 10 tablets puts us in a great place both now and in the future.”

Cheshire police and crime commissioner David Keane said the full rollout of the tablets was a “positive step” in ensuring they have a police service “fit for the future” and illustrates investment in technology that supports officers in the community.

“The tablets will support the efficiency and effectiveness of our police service and I will be monitoring how our investment in new ways of working is allowing officers to spend more time in, and connect to our local communities,” he added.

PC Pete Cole, the business ambassador who has been leading the project, said the feedback they were getting to the tablets was “hugely positive”.

“There are lots of stories being fed back about how much time officers are saving and how they are able to work in different locations and gain instant access to important information right when and where they need it,” he said.