Touchscreen technology transforms control room communications

Hampshire Constabulary is upgrading its control room systems which will allow the force to better support over a quarter of a million households and will link 170 workstations in two centres, allowing staff to manage a host of communication channels through a simple touchscreen.

Hampshire Constabulary is upgrading the control room systems across two sites to help it better support 3,800 police officers, 500 special constables and 348 police community support officers (PCSOs).

The new deployment enables the force to replace older telephony technology, which had become out of date, ensuring staff have access to the latest technology. Control room operators log incidents and dispatch resources, leading to an efficient collaboration between the public, control room operators and frontline officers.

APD Communications has upgraded Hampshire’s CORTEX Software Integrated Communications Control System (SICCS) by installing Syntellect’s CT Connect CTI software across 170 workstations in the force’s control room at Netley and the inquiry centre at Winchester. The new software integrates with existing Nortel Contact Centre 6 technology, which enables calls to be shared between the two sites using touchscreen technology. If call volumes are high, staff from the Netley command centre (where the majority of 999 calls are taken) can be supported by the Winchester facility, where public inquiries are taken. By enabling calls to be shared across the two sites, the force can maintain a high level of service whatever the emergency.

PC Kevin Bowen of Hampshire Constabulary explained: “At Hampshire Constabulary we have the largest and one of the most advanced CORTEX-based control rooms in the UK.

“The implementation of the CT Connect software will provide our staff with a new platform on which to develop new technology. The system also enables us to remove old telephony equipment and MCA cards, reducing the power consumption of both control rooms. This in turn will allow us to respond more efficiently to incidents, ensuring we provide the local Hampshire community the very highest level of service.”

The SICCS system meets the communication needs of a modern police force by merging radio dispatch, call handling, video monitoring and web services. The new software replaces a Nortel Meridian Option, which provided basic communications and computer telephony integration. The tailored system now enables staff to handle large volumes of calls as well as the monitoring and control of communications across a range of computer systems. The CORTEX system accommodates TETRA digital networks and analogue systems.

Steve Denison, managing director of APD Communications, said: “With the new functionality provided by this software, staff at Hampshire Constabulary will now be able to answer calls more quickly resulting in a more efficient emergency service for the people of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.”

The CT Connect system is compatible with a wide variety of telephony switches and automatic call distribution (ACD) solutions from providers such as Avaya Nortel, Alcatel, Cisco, Mitel, Aastra Ericsson and Siemens.

Last year, Gwent Police deployed APD’s CORTEXremote Software Integrated Communications Control System (SICCS) to manage the policing of the Ryder Cup, the first time a portable mobile control room system had been used at a global sporting event

While the European team were busy regaining the Ryder Cup from the US, over 150 officers and 300 support staff were patrolling the 1,400-acre event. The product also offered vital support to assist in coordinating officers in the surrounding area, who were responsible for traffic control and ensuring the safety of 135,000 attending fans.  

CORTEXremote provides operators with the same functionality found in a fully-equipped emergency control room, but with the flexibility to connect the touchscreen all-in-one PC anywhere with a broadband internet connection (satellite and microwave