Strathclyde Police improves services to local residents and reduces travel costs with videoconferencing

Customer challenge

Serving nearly 2.3 million people across 5,371 square miles of Scotland, Strathclyde Police has a varied territory that ranges from inner-city Glasgow to the rural Inner Hebrides. With face-to-face discussions still playing an important role in the transfer of sensitive information, considerable police time was spent travelling to meetings in remote locations. The Force was keen to free up this time for officers to focus on policing and supporting the community.

Computacenter solution

To reduce the need for travel and therefore maximise officers' time, Strathclyde Police partnered with Computacenter's audio-visual department to implement a videoconferencing solution. Tandberg videoconferencing units with pan-tilt zoom cameras and specialist microphones were installed at 35 police stations throughout the region, and a Tandberg 'bridge' was deployed to enable the Chief Constable to brief all nine divisions at once.

Results

Strathclyde Police has been able to reduce the time officers spend travelling and increase their availability to serve the community. Instead of travelling for up to five hours for a one-hour meeting, officers are now able to share information with colleagues by videoconferencing. This has helped to cut travel costs and improve productivity.

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Customer profile

Protecting a diverse community
Strathclyde Police is the second-largest police force in the UK, with approximately 7,500 officers responsible for policing an area of more than 5,000 square miles.

The Force delivers police services in the midst of Scotland's unique geography and climate, which requires a number of specialist units to complement traditional policing, such as highly trained police dogs, mounted police officers, underwater search and rescue and helicopter support. Strathclyde Police recognises the importance of communication in modern policing and its mission statement is founded on working together to build safer communities.

Business challenge

Facilitating effective communication
The varied geography of the area, which stretches from inner-city Glasgow to the remote Inner Hebrides, presents the Force with a number of challenges, especially when it comes to communicating across its nine divisions.

Despite the rise of electronic and mobile forms of communication, face-to-face discussions still play an important role in any organisation. Nowhere is this more relevant than in the emergency services sector, where staff have to share information about sensitive and high-profile incidents, and often take life-saving decisions. As Fiona O'Hare, IT Manager for Strathclyde Police, explains: "It is essential for the Chief Constable and Divisional Commanders to be able to communicate with their officers effectively and efficiently. Traditionally, briefings have always been conducted face-to-face, as this ensures clarity and consistency of information."

Travelling to these meetings, however, is often difficult and time-consuming, as many of the Force's stations are in remote locations, such as the West Highlands and Islands. "Senior officers were spending up to five hours travelling to attend a one-hour meeting, which was not an efficient use of police time, and also resulted in considerable transport costs," comments Fiona.

Computacenter solution

Enabling face-to-face meetings through videoconferencing
To help overcome these issues, Strathclyde Police decided to revolutionise its officer briefing model to incorporate the use of videoconferencing equipment. The use of such technology would not only enable it to hold regular briefings but also provide senior officers with an immediate communication channel in the event of an emergency.

To deploy the solution, the Force turned to existing IT partner Computacenter. As Fiona explains: "Computacenter has an in-depth knowledge of the different solutions available, and was able to guide us through the decision-making process and ensure that we maximised our investment in the new technology."

Once the solution was configured, Computacenter was then responsible for installing the equipment and training potential users. "This was a new concept for us, and some officers were initially uncomfortable with the technology," adds Fiona. "Once they could see the obvious benefits, officers quickly accepted the role of the technology in their work."

As part of the project, Computacenter also deployed a Tandberg 'bridge' system, which enables the Chief Constable to brief all nine divisions at once, ensuring the rapidity and consistency of information flow throughout the Force. To safeguard the ongoing availability of the solution, Computacenter manages a support contract, which ensures any maintenance or helpdesk queries are dealt with promptly. Such support is essential, as the solution facilitates much more than just video conferences; it is also linked to the Force's overall IT infrastructure enabling officers to share presentations and images.

Results

Improving productivity and reducing costs
Since completing the deployment in July 2005, Strathclyde Police has not only been able to improve its internal communication but also its links with local schools and authorities. "The videoconferencing solution has proved a real enabler for the community and the Force," comments Fiona. "As well as freeing up police time, we've also been able to broaden our communication with people living in the Strathclyde area."

Since the implementation, the Force has been able to enjoy a number of benefits, including:

Reduced travel costs: instead of making long journeys to sometimes very remote locations, officers can conduct meetings without leaving their station.

Improved productivity and communication: staff quickly accepted the benefits of the technology and the reduction in travel frees up time for officers to be more productive, while improving communication throughout the district.

Enhanced service to local residents: officers use the equipment to communicate directly with local residents. For example, community safety officers can now address pupils in schools.

The functionality and benefits of the system will be extended even further with the introduction of interactive slates. These will allow videoconferencing parties to draw models and share virtual information during the session.