England’s safest police region set to spend £10m on new technology to cut paperwork

NORTH Yorkshire’s most senior police officer will today unveil plans for a £10m investment in new technology as part of his strategy for tackling crime in the county.

Chief Constable Dave Jones will join Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan in revealing details of North Yorkshire Police’s new operational policing model in York this afternoon.

The force said it is committed to maintaining its current workforce of 1,392 police officers and 183 Police Community Support Officers despite losing millions a year in government funding.

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Nearly £10m will be invested in new technology, including an extra £1m in automatic number plate recognition facilities to spot criminals travelling into England’s safest county from other areas.

Handheld mobile devices will be given to officers so they can complete records without having to return to a police station, while it is hoped the use of video conferencing will cut down on travelling to meetings.

Mr Jones, who took over as Chief Constable last year, said: “I am passionate about keeping officers visible in our communities. I believe this is crucial to successful policing and I know this is what the public want to see too.

“The investment in technology is designed to support this, by enabling us to be more responsive. We are cutting bureaucracy through a ‘Time for Policing Initiative’.

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“New mobile devices will enable officers and staff to remain visible and accessible within our communities.

“We will be able to pinpoint where our resources are needed to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, which will ensure North Yorkshire Police is even more productive and continues to offer value for money.”

Mrs Mulligan said the main objective of the new plans was to “increase the visibility of policing in our local communities”.