Why use Mobile Working in Policing?

Mobile technology presents the opportunity to fundamentally transform the way police officers carry out their duties.

Police work is fast paced, dynamic and often requires decisions to be made under pressure. Historically, police officers have relied on traditional airwave radio, manual record keeping and spending significant time back at the station to update records.

The ability of officers to access data and information to assist decision-making in real-time and to update digital notes linked to force systems on the move, aims to drive improvements in both efficiency and effectiveness of policing.

Researchers at Loughborough University highlighted that law enforcement agencies can utilise mobile devices to support time critical decision-making that requires specialised information.

There are many identified benefits for equipping mobile devices to officers serving the public. By December 2010, the Home Office- funded “Mobile Information Programme” had supplied 41,000 mobile devices to police officers in England and Wales. The National Audit Office noted:

“The programme has, on average, increased the visibility of police officers to the public and officers spend more time out of the station, an estimated 18 minutes a shift, although there is considerable variation. While the Mobile Information Programme did not explicitly set out to deliver cashable savings, these should have followed from objectives to reduce bureaucracy, increase efficiency and contribute to better policing.”

Like many other sectors around the world, digital device uptake in policing can be observed in many jurisdictions.