IT infrastructure business case

Report: 12
Date: 19 July 2001
By: Commissioner

Summary

An adequate technology infrastructure is required in the MPS if police officers and support staff are to be equipped with the information and communications support they need to do their work efficiently and effectively.

Investment in IT infrastructure (access devices, such as desktops, laptops and mobile data terminals; communications networks allowing these to connect with each other and with data stores; appropriate office systems and operating software) in the MPS has historically been piecemeal and tactical. This has led to:

• a slow and unreliable communication from the desktop into systems
• poorly supported office systems that lack functionality
• no facilities for secure mobile working
• applications that do not exchange information with each other and which often require that the same information be input into several different systems.

A more strategic approach is now required to deliver a world-class technology infrastructure to a world-class police service to accommodate current and future business needs. This programme of work is primarily designed to cut the cost of future IS service provision to the MPS whilst providing it with a platform that is robust, scalable, dynamic and better able to respond to the policing needs of the future.

The implementation of all aspects of the information strategy and the programmes of technology-enabled business change such as C3I and PRISM are dependent on this infrastructure renewal. Without it these developments will be stopped and there will be continuing degradation in the means to access and share information electronically.

This investment will impact front line policing by freeing up police officers for operational duties as a result of reduced multiple keying into systems and being able to retrieve, receive and send information whilst away from the police station. The ability to communicate more relevant information to officers in timely manner will also contribute to enhanced officer safety.

Additionally, there will be increased productivity of support staff and ability for widespread sharing of information with our stakeholders and partners in the criminal justice system.

A. Recommendation

The MPA is asked to agree that the Information Technology Infrastructure programme, for which the budget has already been agreed, proceeds.

B. Supporting information

The scope:

1. The programme implements the following major changes:

• replacement of the existing network infrastructure with a scalable managed service that will support convergence of data, telephony and radio services
• replacement of the current OTIS facilities with a mainstream market offering, that provides greater capability to seamlessly exchange data in-house and with emerging Criminal Justice and Local Authority services
• centralisation of computing and data storage capacity to reduce service costs
• enhanced security infrastructure that supports and encourages secure two-way communication with the public and other agencies

Business options:

2. The business options considered are 'Do Nothing', 'Re-engineer the Current Services' or 'Produce and Implement a New Design'. There are strong arguments, not least on the grounds of greatly enhanced functionality, supporting the recommendation that we must swap-out the current e-mail and office productivity tools provided by the TeamWARE product and replace them with equivalent mainstream Microsoft offerings. In addition, a service improvement review highlighted the desperate state of the MPS data network services and the need for investment in this area irrespective of which business option is being considered. The current network services are based upon aged equipment that is no longer in production and difficult to support and maintain.

3. The cost analysis shows that to do nothing or re-engineer the current platform will have higher costs for service and support as well as not meeting the business need. The recommendation is, therefore, to proceed with a new design.

Deliverables:

4. Over the past year infrastructure investments have delivered:

• a reduction in the need for users to have multiple personal computers to access multiple applications
• an intranet used to share information across many parts of the MPS
• a secure gateway to allow internet mail and browsing access where this is needed
• the infrastructure to allow the reporting of non-urgent minor crimes via the internet
• office system service improvements
• an electronic telephone directory

5. During 2001/2 the infrastructure strategy implementation is scheduled to deliver:

• OTIS to all groups requesting it by the end of July 2001, with the exception of Windsor Castle which will be implemented in August and Rainham Police Station, where implementation awaits the completion of building works
• a mailing list for all staff communications limited to authorised users by July 2001
• new e-mail, bulletin board and browsing facilities along with other software upgrades to allow better mobile working starting in September 2001 and, through the programme, across the MPS by March 2003 (The implementation will be building by building to keep costs to a minimum. The sequence in which buildings are done will be determined by the business)
• secure remote access from September 2001 and available to all who need it by March 2003
• plug and play to give laptop users access and update facilities anywhere in the MPS starting in Sept 2001and complete by March 2003
• more bandwidth allowing the lifting of restrictions on size of e-mail attachments and number of recipients commencing September 2001

6. During the financial year 2002/3 the existing infrastructure programme work will complete and will have delivered:

• renewal of the existing Network Infrastructure
• renewal of the OTIS desktop
• centralisation of server capacity
• an enhanced security infrastructure.

7. The front line users will gain:

• a secure single sign on to allow access to all applications they need
• the ability to access and share files from any MPS workstation or mobile device irrespective of location
• a higher level of availability and performance in their desktop systems such that they are able to reliably access information when they need it
• an increasingly common 'look and feel' on their desktop and/or mobile device
• access to electronic training materials at their desk.

8. The impact on front line policing will be:

• higher productivity from faster entry and retrieval of information
• increasing ability to provide more appropriate and relevant information when officers need it and where they need it, which should also lead to increased officer safety.

9. Upgrades and trials have thus far elicted the following comments:

• "Being able to send external e-mails from Outlook [the new e-mail product] is proving much easier than under OTIS. It is also easier to use because it is the same system as I have at home"
• "With secure remote dial-in and a laptop I can now do my work wherever I am, I don't have to keep going back to the office"
• "I am glad that I now require only one PC in my office to access all the applications I need to do my job"
• "Since our local network has been upgraded I am getting more work done - I no longer have to wait for OTIS to respond to every command."

C. Financial implications

The costs of the exercise fall into two distinct areas – those considered 'Unavoidable' and 'Enhancements'. The unavoidable costs cover the work essential to the supply of managed network services to the MPS and reconcile the assimilation of existing services, eg:  MetNET, etc. The net cost over five years of this exercise to the MPS is £23m.

The enhancement costs cover the remaining scope of the suggested programme. These require a projected investment of £38m over the five year period, however this investment is offset by cost savings of £16m. In addition there are productivity savings of £23m.

The funding requirement for 2001/2 is £20m. This requirement will be met by the existing budget allocation of £15.5m capital and £4.5m revenue. The full funding requirement for future years has been included in the medium term programme costs.

D. Background papers

None.

E. Contact details

The author of this report is Royston Barker, Directorate of Information.

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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