By rolling-out mobile information solutions, the NPIA will deliver on a number of themes highlighted in Sir Ronnie Flanagan's review, which include: Richard Earland, Chief Information Officer at the NPIA and Senior Responsible Officer for the programme said, "The NPIA will play a vital role in supporting the police to deliver more efficient services. Through the application process, forces will be assessed against set criteria to ensure that they are able to make the business changes required to deliver and implement mobile information solutions effectively. We are very excited to be leading on this programme as one of the steps the NPIA, together with ACPO, is taking to help improve policing." The funding will be made available in a two-stage process and all forces in England and Wales have been invited to apply for a portion of the funding. Category A will be for delivery of mobile information in force by 30 September 2008. Applications will be evaluated against set criteria by the NPIA who will provide recommendations to the Association of Chief Police Officer's (ACPO) Mobile Information Programme Board, who will make the final decision. Category B will be for delivery of mobile information by 31 March 2009. Applications will be also be evaluated as per Category A. Successful applications for Category A will be announced at the end of March. Force applications which were not successful in Category A will be re-entered for consideration in Category B. In addition, forces in Scotland have been invited to apply provided that the proposals will have a UK wide benefit. Notes to editors: The investment will also fund central projects that will deliver a platform for sustainable long-term growth and reduce the force cost of adopting mobile information systems.
This move follows a number of reports on policing, including the findings in Sir Ronnie Flanagan's review, published last week.
Background
Following the Prime Minister's commitment made in September 2007 to ensure there were 10,000 handheld computers in operation in forces across the country within one year, the Home Office has made available £50 million in capital to the NPIA to deliver on this promise.
