Mobile Working Project

The Mobile Working Project (MWP) is a key deliverable through which strategic objectives and key benefits have been realised. On 30 August 2018 Phase 1 of the MWP was approved at SPA Board following the completion of internal governance and subsequently ratified by Scottish Government who committed transformation funding to the project. Following the Procurement Process the contract was awarded to BT/EE on 21 December 2018.

The primary driver for the change was the need for digital capability in Police Scotland. Before MWP the majority of officers were using paper notebooks and pens; only c.1,300 officers across ‘E’ and ‘J’ and a portion of ‘G’ Division had access to aged electronic Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices within their operational environment. These PDAs were out-of-date; had very limited applications available; did not connect nor integrate with Police Scotland systems; did not provide Pronto functionality nor mobile telephony or camera capability.

Most officers across Scotland had no remote access to policing applications and in the vast majority of cases no technology whatsoever whilst deployed within communities, other than Airwave Terminals with voice only functionality. In effect, officers relied solely on information to inform critical operational decisions from Area Control Rooms; with no immediate access to systems to inform such decisions themselves. Likewise, most officers had no means of recording information gathered at incidents, e.g. crime reports or witness

This resulted in significant inefficiencies associated with repeated double-keying as officers were required to manually transfer information to back-office systems, rather than the automated electronic transfer of data occurring from source; risks in relation to data quality and loss given the need for human processing; and the lack of consistent processes prior to the creation of Police Scotland, which could be managed via mobile devices.

Phase 1 between June 2019 – January 2022, equipped circa 10,524 Police Scotland operational officers and 150 SPA Forensic Scene Examiners with Samsung Enterprise Edition Galaxy Note 9 mobile devices, along with associated licensing, software, training and change management governance. The mobile device provided integrated access to the Motorola Pronto notebook functionality, alongside a range of applications including PNC/CHS, STORM, email, intranet, internet, SOPs; and other features which could be accessed and updated remotely by officers.

The Phase 2 Full Business Case (FBC) was approved at SPA Board on 30 September 2020. The implementation of the FBC was to provide every officer in Detective, Professional Standards and Operational Support Division roles up to Inspector rank with a mobile device. Phase 2 saw 5,892 mobile devices (3,746 smartphones and 2,146 tablets) procured and delivered in a national rollout to 3,573 officers and 60 Forensic Scene Examiners from June 2021 to June 2022.

2.1.7. In September 2021 a Scottish Government Technical Assurance Framework (TAF) Review was conducted on Phase 2, two years following the TAF for Phase 1. The review assessed whether the delivery strategy remained appropriate and there is a valid full business case, and delivery is on track and standards are met. The review was also an assessment of the rollout of the Phase 2 scheduled; and the wider DEPP to transition MW in a manner that secures the Lifetime Management. An Amber/Green rating was awarded and reflects the high degree of confidence of the Review Team. Consideration was given to providing a Green rating, with only the findings relating to the management of transition into Business as Usual (BAU) preventing this.

As Mobile Working evolved it became apparent a lifetime management model would be required to effectively support, evolve and sustain the Mobile product than originally envisaged within the Phase 1 FBC. A separate FBC was developed seeking approval for a new Lifetime Management / Continuous Development function, with increased capacity in terms of resources and the associated further funding needed to create a lifetime management function, to be applied in the first instance, to Mobile Working but be extensible to ingest further project deliverables, such as (for example) Body Worn Video, Digital Evidence Sharing Capability and Office 365.

The FBC for the lifetime Management function, known as the Digital Support and Evolution Group (DSEG), was approved at Change Board of March 2022. However due to the McCloud (Pension) Remedy, the approval to transfer the supporting permanent officer posts through Police Scotland governance wasn’t granted until September 2022. A Change Request was raised and approved to extend Phase 2 to 31 December 2022 to facilitate and support transition to the lifetime management function within Digital Division, which is currently in progress.

The End of Project Report for Phase 1 of Mobile Working is currently going through governance processes for approval, the End of Project Report for Phase 2 is planned for early 2023, approval of which will close Mobile Working as a project.