21.12.06
PDAs take underground police into new territory
London’s tube network is currently witnessing the most significant advance in police beat technology in almost 40 years.
Over 400 British Transport Police (BTP) officers on the London Underground are being equipped with brand new Personal Digital Assistants, and will use their new gadgets to obtain instant checks on a person’s criminal history and link that person to their registered address.
While helping to root out those trying to deceive the police, the PDAs will also be used to update intelligence information into the central system as soon as it is gleaned from an encounter – enabling other officers to access the crucial details without delay.
The pocket-sized devices, which have been developed by mobile data specialist Beat Systems and are being provided in partnership with Northgate Information Solutions, are expected to save each officer around one hour of administration time for every shift worked.
By the end of January 2007 all officers in BTP’s Reassurance teams will be using the PDAs, and those in the force expect their new hand held computers to prove as crucial as radios, batons and stab vests in the fight against crime.
Chief superintendent Paul Crowther, of British Transport Police, said: “The PDA is a robust addition to our crime fighting tool kit allowing us to better drill down into criminal activity and take appropriate action. Ticket touts, those who assault staff and people bent on antisocial behaviour on the Underground should beware.”
PC Kelly White, who has already used the new technology, said:
“I can update the incident log myself now without having to radio in the information. This means everyone who looks at the log is getting a detailed first-hand intelligence because I’m there at the scene putting the information in.
“My PDA also helps me better assess a situation when I have access to the information other officers have previously collected.”
Four arrests of offenders wanted on warrant, three of them for violent offences, have already been facilitated by officers making instant criminal history checks. In the east London sector of BTP alone stops and searches of persons behaving suspiciously have increased significantly over the past month. PDAs, by providing instant data on the individual make this valuable tactic for disrupting all forms of criminality on the Underground more effective.
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