Mobile roll out at GMP sees officers spending more time in communities

GMP has completed sending out mobile devices across the Force, with officers and staff spending less time in the station and more time out in their areas.

Designed to help officers spend more time out with the public and less in the station, officers have been provided with smart phones and tablets for when they are out in their local areas. So far, 5,600 officers and staff have been provided with mobile devices alongside more than 600 training sessions, giving them access to information at their fingertips.

Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “Mobile technology gives us easy access to vital information, away from the station, every single day and gives our officers the best tools possible to continue to protect the people of Greater Manchester.

“This roll-out is seeing us trust and support each other to use mobile to make better decisions and manage the risks that exist. It also helps us to continue to deliver a professional service to the public by using the right information at the right time, at the right place.

“This is about the future of policing in Greater Manchester and how we are developing. By giving our officers the tools that they need we ensure we are focused on keeping the people of Greater Manchester safe.”

Greater Manchester’s Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd said: “Smartphones and tablets are part of our everyday lives so it makes sense for policing to adopt this technology. I’m pleased that the Chief Constable has embraced this approach and invested the funding I’ve been able to set aside to enable the rollout of these devices.

“That more than 5,000 officers and staff are now using mobile technology is good news for our communities. It means residents are getting a better, more effective service from their local police, keeping officers out on the beat keeping people safe instead of being stuck behind a desk.”

Since the roll out began in April, GMP has supplied 5,600 officers and staff with mobile devices alongside more than 600 training sessions, giving them access to information at their fingertips.

As a result of the roll out, which began in April, 19,000 witness statements have been submitted electronically, saving time and reducing duplication when typing notes up at the end of a shift. This gives officers more time getting to know the areas that they protect.

Whilst out and about, those with a device are able to carry out the following tasks electronically, without the need to return to a station:

• Create, search and update crimes, incidents and reports.
• Create stop & search logs and electronic witness statements.
• Perform person or vehicle checks.
• Access emails for the Force intranet, which hosts details of support services and partners

GMP is currently looking at how the time that is being saved can be best used to serve the people of Greater Manchester in the future.