Police forces plan crime technology deal

Police forces plan crime technology deal

Essex Police is leading the purchase of IT for eight forces in the east and south-east of England worth up to £400m

The Essex force intends to set up a framework for the supply, installation and maintenance of a crime management, intelligence, case and custody system, according to a pre-tender notice in the Official Journal of the European Union on 21 January 2010.

The notice said that eight police forces in the east and south-east of England are expected to be early adopters of the framework, potentially followed by others throughout the UK. The deal may last for 10 years or more, and will be worth between £40m and £400m.

Along with Essex the potential early users will be the other forces in the east of England region Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk as well as Kent and the City of London Police. They will collaborate to buy a "best of breed" IT system, according to the notice.

"This project is intended to set the scene for our IT strategy over the coming years, so will involve the region working closely with the NPIA - ISIS (National Policing Improvement Agency - Information Systems Improvement Strategy) Programme," it said.