MPS e-Policing Strategy

Report: 20
Date: 9 June 2003
By: Commissioner

Summary

This report:

• Describes in brief the purpose of the Strategy;
• Indicates what is being developed within the Criminal Justice Sector (CJIT and PITO) and in London (the GLA, London Connects and Boroughs);
• Indicates the initiatives already being attempted by the MPS;
• Describes what an e-initiative is;
• Invites Members to identify e-initiatives relevant to the interests of Londoners in line with the UK Government’s '2005' agenda.

A. Recommendations

That

1. the Committee notes the overall direction of the MPS e-Policing Strategy, which was ratified by the MPS Management Board on 18 December 2002; and
2. identifies initiatives or priorities which the strategy should pursue; or the means by which this information can be identified.

B. Supporting information

Purpose of the MPS e-Policing Strategy

1. The overall objective of the MPS e-Policing strategy is to deliver all services to our customers electronically, where it is reasonable to do so.

Initiatives in the Criminal Justice Sector and in London

2. Agencies in the Criminal Justice Sector are pursuing initiatives such as:

• Exchange of secure email between CJ agencies;
• Electronic reporting of minor non-urgent crime;
• Development of an electronic case file;
• On-line tracking of crimes by witnesses.

3. Agencies in London are pursuing initiatives such as:

• A London portal;
• A London smartcard;
• A London-wide information sharing protocol.

4. The MPS is pursuing initiatives such as:

• C3i;
• A range of information- and transaction-based services on the MPS website;
• A 24 x 7 e-mail receipt point.

5. A fuller description of MPS initiatives is attached at Appendix 1.

What constitutes an e-initiative

6. As part of the Modernising Government agenda, the UK Government intends that all dealings between citizen and government should be capable of being transacted electronically by 2005. This intention has become known as the “e-Government” or “2005” agenda.

7. Not all of the range of services provided by the public sector are even feasible in electronic form; the public, for instance, expect and demand a visible policing presence. That said, there may be electronic means to target this presence more effectively, or defray the use of police time on less essential activities by promoting electronic alternatives.

8. Such electronic services have become known as ‘e-services’, ‘e-initiatives’, etc.

9. From the outset, certain qualities were propounded which successful e-initiatives should embody:

• Benefits should be focussed on the citizen, not on the organisation;
• Citizens should be able to do business with government in the way they prefer;
• Citizens should not have to understand how government is organised in order to do business with it;
• e-initiatives should not promote the divide between the 'information rich' and the 'information poor';
• public concerns over privacy and data sharing are important and cannot be set aside.

10. Over time, other qualities have been defined through practice or through communications by such organisations as the Office of the e-Envoy:

• Telephony call centres, when backed by an information system can be viewed as providing e-services;
• Successful initiatives may be evidenced by how readily citizens ‘take-up’ the services provided;
• Experimentation should be encouraged and services which are not likely to be successful discontinued at an early stage;
• Meaningful e-services rather than many e-services are the goal;
• By implication, some services which do not directly interact with the citizen are nonetheless of benefit to them (business-to-business, rather than ‘citizen-to-business’);
• Effective e-business processes are just as important as technology.

Governance of the e-Policing Strategy

11. It is proposed that the implementation of e-Policing strategy should be subsumed into the work taken forward by the Information Management Steering Group (IMSG). An MPA Member has a permanent seat on this MPS Committee, and by this means, the MPA have the necessary oversight.

MPA Engagement

12. The MPS e-Policing Strategy has been ratified by the MPS Management Board last December, and is not tabled for amendment by the MPA.

13. However, in order to take the strategy forward into implementation, it will first be necessary to identify the types of initiative which the MPA would wish to see pursued, and / or qualities / priorities which the MPA would wish to see embodied in MPS e-initiatives. Members are invited to indicate how they would intend to provide suggestions for consideration. A Member workshop has been discussed with MPA Members and officers, but discounted.

C. Equality and diversity implications

Implementation of electronic alternatives to existing services may assist in increased opportunities for police to interact with “hard to reach” groups or those subject to additional communication difficulties.

MPS services could be provided electronically in a range of languages and dialects. This would have implications both for the technologies employed and the business processes behind them.

D. Financial implications

1. Before an assessment of the financial implications can be made, it will be necessary to establish which additional services are to be implemented.

2. Depending on the services chosen it may be possible for some or all of them to be funded in whole or in part from some of the sources described in paragraph 18.

3. Whilst Local Authorities may seek funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), this is not a legitimate source of funding for the MPS. However, the Capital Modernisation Fund (CMF) and Invest to Save (ISB), may be. It may also be legitimate for Authorities to seek funding which give rise to services indirectly involving Police.

E. Background papers

• Modernising Government CM4310 Cabinet Office March 1999
• e-Government: A strategic framework for public services in the Information Age ISBN 0 7115 0394.X Central IT Unit, Cabinet Office April 2000
• e-Strategy@met.police.uk an e-Policing Strategy for the Metropolitan Police Service MPS Directorate of Information December 2002 (copies of this paper can be made available on request).

F. Contact details

Report author: Tony Williams, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

Appendix 1

Examples of e-initiatives

Current position

The Metropolitan Police is actively engaged in developing a range of initiatives, which involve electronic communication with the citizen and strategic partners. The MPS works closely with ACPO, PITO (including PIMRD) and the Home Office, to inform and take part in national debates in respect of e-policing.

We have developed a sophisticated website which offers a wide range of information services including crime information, ‘most wanted’ and details of high value identifiable stolen property which has been seized by police. An increasing number of forms are available through the website and links are provided with a range of key partners and agencies (e.g. Victim Support, Crimestoppers, etc). Our HR site provides extensive information about the MPS and allows for the initiation of the recruitment process on-line.

We continue to develop our 24x7 e-receipt point at New Scotland Yard, which receives and processes e-mail to high profile e-mail addresses (e.g. Commissioner@met.police.uk) and notifications of minor crime reported via the internet through the Police.UK Portal (supplied and maintained by PITO). The unit handles in excess of 3,000 e-mails per month and more than 1,000 crime reports.

The MPS is working to develop further electronic links with strategic partners. We are fully connected to the Criminal Justice Extranet, and are in regular discussion with CJIT and other agencies in the criminal justice sector with regard to e-initiatives. At a pan London level, we have developed the facility for electronic communication with the Crown Prosecution Service. We have developed protocols for electronic data sharing with Local Authorities, and this now takes place in most Boroughs.

The MPS Command and Control system provides electronic transfer of operational data relating to emergency calls from the MPS to the London Ambulance Service.

A number of local projects are seeking to exploit new technologies, often in partnership with local agencies. Examples include:

• the use of Smartcards (Southwark Borough) to develop a rewards system for young people as part of the Karrot initiative;
• passing information electronically to Neighbourhood Watch and community groups (17 Boroughs).
• Use of kiosks in public spaces (Traffic OCU in partnership with TfL)

Future developments

The MPS is continuing to work towards the Government 2005 Agenda through a number of activities including delivery of the C3i Programme and coordinated activity to deliver the e-policing strategy.

The C3i Programme will deliver first class call centres with technologies, which will facilitate delivery of a ‘one stop shop’ service to the people of London. Additionally, following the recommendations of the Crime and Managing Demand Best Value Reviews, a centralised crime reporting bureau and other help desk options will be developed which will accept reports via the telephone and through other electronic channels.

The MPS will continue to work with partners to introduce a pilot for Identification, Referral and Tracking of children and young people at risk, and we are working with partners in Health and Social Services to develop effective communication to implement the recommendations of the inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbié

Borough Commanders and Branches will be encouraged to continue to pursue options for delivering an improved service through the use of electronic communications channels.

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