Simon Hall, CEO of PoliceBox, the smartphone application that enables officers to complete all their form-based tasks within one, intuitive app, has called on Boris Johnson to allocate some of the £1.1 billion earmarked for 20,000 new police officers to reducing police admin by investing in more digital services for officers when out of the station.
With some officers telling PoliceBox they spend 90% of their day on admin, the poor IT that officers must contend with every day is a significant drain on their time and holds back their ability to do their jobs effectively. Simon suggests “More visible officers in the community is very welcome, but it’s not just about the number, but how effective they are. The £1.1bn will be more effective if some of that budget is earmarked for better technology which addresses the administrative burden already placed on officers.”
Said Simon Hall, CEO, PoliceBox: “20,000 officers is all well and good but their effectiveness is severely limited if they spend much of their time on admin. More visible officers in the community is very welcome, but it’s not just about the number, but how effective they are. The £1.1bn will be more effective if some of that budget is earmarked for better technology which addresses the administrative burden already placed on officers.
“Every officer spends too much time on admin because the tools they are given both in and out of the station are outdated, disjointed and often not fit-for-purpose. Paperwork could be cut significantly across the country if every officer had access to all of their IT systems when out on a job, saving them from having to re-input data multiple times at the station. Prime Minster Johnson and new Home Secretary Priti Patel should allocate some of this additional funding specifically for forces to invest in their IT.”
“Remember, more officers means more data and information for forces to manage. Reducing the administrative burden on all officers would deliver even greater value for money than the additional 20,000 officers alone.”