NCJ Number
27939
Journal
Police Journal Volume: 48 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL-JUNE 1975) Pages: 145-149
Date Published
1975
Length
5 pages
Annotation
PROGRESS IS REPORTED FOR THE FIRST 8 MONTHS OF A 1974 STUDY OF WAYS IN WHICH COMPUTERS MAY BE USED TO HELP THE MERSEYSIDE (ENGLAND) POLICE FORCE. DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AND TO STUDY EXISTING COMPUTER SYSTEMS.
Abstract
THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT WERE TO STUDY ALL THE MAJOR COMPUTING REQUIREMENTS OF A POLICE FORCE, PRODUCE AN OUTLINE COMPUTING DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THAT POLICE FORCE, AND ESTABLISH WHAT HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THAT PLAN; CONSIDER THE PLAN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE POSSIBLE REQUIREMENTS OF OTHER POLICE FORCES SO THAT THE PLAN MIGHT BE INFLUENCED BY THE GENERAL AS WELL AS THE PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS AND STUDY EXISTING POLICE COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND CARRY OUT A SURVEY OF AVAILABLE LITERATURE AND REPORTS APPROPRIATE TO THE STUDY. THE 12-MONTH PROJECT WAS BEGUN IN AUGUST 1974. THE COMPUTER PROJECT TEAM STUDIED THE INFORMATION FLOWS AND DECISIONMAKING PROCESSES OF THE MERSEYSIDE POLICE, AND INTERVIEWS WERE HELD WITH MEMBERS OF ALL RANKS AND DEPARTMENTS OF THE FORCE. THIS PERIOD OF COMPREHENSIVE STUDY WAS NECESSARY TO IDENTIFY USER NEEDS. THE TEAM MADE BROAD CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND AS OF APRIL 1975 WAS VISITING AND STUDYING OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO SEE IF THE CONCLUSIONS APPLIED TO THE OTHERS AS WELL. THE STUDY TEAM ALSO VISITED POLICE FORCES ALREADY USING COMPUTERS TO SEE HOW THEIR SYSTEMS OPERATE. THE NEXT STEP WAS TO OUTLINE AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM. THE PROJECT, MONITORED BY TWO COMMITTEES CONSISTING OF MEMBERS FROM THE MERSEYSIDE POLICE FORCE AND THE COMPUTER CONTRACTORS, IS EVALUATED PERIODICALLY. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF USING COMPUTERS IN POLICE WORK HAS BEEN TO EASE THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN, PARTICULARLY IN THE PROVISIONS OF CRIME STATISTICS, PAY AND ALLOWANCES, TRAFFIC TICKETS, PERSONNEL RECORDS, AND FIREARMS CERTIFICATES. HOWEVER, THESE SYSTEMS HAVE ALL BEEN DEVELOPED PIECEMEAL, WITH NO PREVIOUS EFFORT TO STUDY THE NEEDS OF A POLICE FORCE AS A WHOLE. THE MERSEYSIDE POLICE FORCE COMPUTER DEVELOPMENT PLAN WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR CONSIDERATION BY OTHER POLICE DEPARTMENTS. (VDA)