Introduction

Policing the UK is complex. Forces must be ready to respond to the communities they serve and be possessed of the dynamism to react as they change. Any notion of permanence is misguided. Our society exists in a constant state of flux, with any number of factors, be they internal or external, influencing change at a startling pace. Police forces must react to situations that might arise entirely unforeseen.

As an example, the war in Ukraine is thought to have been responsible for a surge in agricultural crime across the British countryside. Police believe criminal gangs are stealing machinery which is then smuggled into sanction-hit Russia (1). This circumstance would have been virtually impossible to predict but has required inter-force cooperation to tackle a 300% rise in the theft of agricultural machinery in England and Wales (2).

The autonomous approach by each force

The need to react to change has in part been responsible for the evolution of today’s service. There is no single law enforcement agency in Britain. Policing is as diverse as the country itself. While standards, guidelines and, of course, the law are set at the national level, each of the 43 territorial and 3 specialist forces is very much a single entity. Each has its own priorities, and its own challenges.

The earlier statistics notwithstanding, crime rates, for example, are typically higher in urban areas than in rural (3). Areas of higher population density will place comparatively higher demands on resource numbers. As a result, each force has its own budget and the autonomy to take its own approach

Why cross-force collaboration is necessary

However, while it remains essential for each force to act autonomously, such disparity creates challenges of its own. There are obvious reasons why cross-force collaboration is necessary In the fight against crime, for example, when undertaking surveillance operations or policing the road network. Administratively, too, there are gaps within the system that remain open.

Writing about professionalism in policing, Lucy D’Orsi, Chief Constable of the British Transport Police, highlighted one such example: “If I was to commit a crime, get arrested and give my details, there is no obvious system check that would flag that I’m a police officer if I didn’t choose to tell them (4)

Inefficacy of vetting procedures

Recent high-profile cases have again brought these issues into painfully sharp focus. In a wide-ranging review of the Metropolitan Police, Baroness Casey of Blackstock’s report (5) criticised the inefficacy of vetting procedures, calling on all forces to act: “Vetting standards should be changed with immediate effect to guard against those who intend to abuse the powers of a police officer.”

Police forces in acting independently and together

It appears, therefore, there is something of a dichotomy. Police forces need to act both independently and together. In some instances, it is necessary to operate at an inter-force or even national level. In others, maintaining a local approach is optimal. Attempting to square this circle technologically has, however, proved difficult. Top-down initiatives have proven costly and inefficient.

A four-year Home Office programme to merge the Police National Computer with the Police National Database into a single system known as NLEDS (National Law Enforcement Data Service) suffered significant delays and cost overruns. Following a reduction in the scope, a National Audit Office report (6) concluded there were numerous failings, further cautioning that it might not be possible for the project to be delivered.

In an ill-fated partnership between the Thames Valley, Sussex and Surrey forces, more than £36 million was spent on an IT project to improve the performance of back-office systems. Having already committed £14.4 million, Thames Valley Police pulled out of the venture with the (then) The police and Crime Commissioner stated he was “totally dissatisfied” with its progress (8)

APCC/NPCC Policing Vision 2025

The use ERP and Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Police forces

Today’s police service developed organically, with forces evolving to meet demand at a pace dictated by operational needs. Forward-looking leaders are realising that by making use of the latest technological developments, digitalisation, too, can be implemented organically. In fact, by adopting an almost distributed intelligence approach, each autonomous force can play its own part in a greater whole, powering success at both local and national level.

Advances in areas such as cloud computing allow individual forces to implement solutions incrementally, at a pace that suits their own needs and budgets. Proof of concept trials are easily undertaken. Designed to be scalable, modern ERP platforms allow multiple systems to operate within a strong framework. Solutions such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 can be quickly and easily deployed without the need for a large investment in IT infrastructure.

Microsoft's Power Platform for legacy technology

Tools such as Microsoft’s Power Platform are designed to work alongside legacy technology. Organisations unable or unwilling to replace existing systems can quickly create their own low-code bespoke applications and have them work seamlessly with those existing systems. There is no longer a need to buy expensive and siloed off-the-shelf solutions, making it possible to redeploy specialised IT staff into more value generating roles. Far from presenting a disadvantage, the way in which UK police forces are structured provides an ideal foundation upon which to build.

The need for improved data literacy

The National Policing Digital Strategy pointed towards a need for improved data literacy in the police. With the data mountain growing, making use of this vast store of information is key to streamlining back-office functions. Ultimately, technology enables better policing. With the tools available, officers are freed up from administrative tasks, allowing them to spend more time policing their communities.

However, siloing of data has historically created a drag on processes. Backlogs are growing, one notable example being digital forensics. Bridging data silos Reviewing force effectiveness, His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) found that many were “overwhelmed and ineffective”(12), with more than 25,000 digital devices waiting to be examined.

Adopting a platform-first mindset

Shifting from siloed data is essential. By adopting a platform-first mindset, data can be made easily accessible to authorised users. Building solutions on top of single data sources simplifies integration between different applications.

Solutions such as Microsoft Dataverse support the workforce by enabling secure, streamlined collaboration. Low-code development is scalable as required, allowing both intra and inter-force applications access as appropriate, providing a firm foundation to enable an agile approach that evolves with police force needs.