Dorset Police is rolling out a new mobile toolkit that provides wireless access to policing systems to replace core paper forms and free up officer time.
As part of a wide range of mobile policing initiatives, a software application called Pronto has been introduced in the Force to enable officers to spend less time in stations and more time in the community.
The introduction of an Electronic Pocket Notebook ensures data is recorded accurately and shared quickly with colleagues and partner agencies. Officers can also access the Police National Computer and save crime scene photographs from wherever they are, rather than having to return to the station or use a laptop.
Dorset Police has acquired 400 biometric fingerprint readers, which allow officers to scan fingerprints from suspects at the roadside rather than having to travel to a custody suite, saving time and money through speed and accuracy by using the most up-to-date technology.
Other future developments will provide officers with full mobile access to the Force’s command and control system and the ability to remotely log crimes and incidents and complete stop and search forms, intelligence forms, missing person forms and witness statements. Officers will also be able to generate vehicle tickets through Pronto.
Chief Constable Scott Chilton said: “This new mobile technology is a really exciting development for Dorset Police. By reducing the need for officers to travel to police stations to query or input information, they will be spending more time out in communities. This will enable residents to benefit from a more streamline service and greater policing presence on the streets. The mobile toolkit will also help officers identify criminals more efficiently and deal with incidents swiftly. It comes with a whole range of options so officers can access all the information they need when they need it, which means they can provide a better service to the public and help keep people safe.”
Pronto, which was acquired through Motorola, is designed to cope with poor network coverage by allowing users to continue to record information on their device without a connection to Wi-Fi or 4G.
Dorset’s Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick said: “The introduction of Pronto to Dorset Police is a positive double whammy for my Police and Crime Plan as it hits two of my priorities in one go. The priorities in my Police and Crime Plan to ‘Make Every Penny Count’ and to ‘Make Policing More Visible and Connected’ will be achieved in part through introducing new technology, which will enable officers to do their jobs more efficiently, more effectively and allow them to get out onto our streets so they can spend more time catching criminals and providing protection to the people they serve. I am determined to do all I can to help front line staff do the job they signed up for – to be crime fighters!”
Lincolnshire Police, who embedded the use of Pronto into their Force several years ago, believe that by implementing the use of this software they have saved an hour of each officer’s time per shift, which equates to the saving of millions of pounds. More than 20 other forces around the UK have also adopted the use of Pronto within their own regions, including Devon & Cornwall Police, with more coming online in 2022.
