Ten-year contract with Devon & Cornwall Police and Dorset Police will see BT manage IT services for the two forces.
BT has announced it has secured a 10-year, £70m IT services deal with Devon & Cornwall Police and Dorset Police.
Together, the two police forces handle more than a million emergency and non-emergency calls and respond to more than 118,000 incidents of recorded crime each year.
The new long-term agreement will strengthen the forces’ technology estates by creating a future-fit infrastructure to support more joined-up policing, with the potential to extend the contract to neighbouring forces in the South West region.
The managed service contract will underpin a range of the police’s information, technology and communication demands, including field mobile, airwave vehicle and handheld connectivity for emergency services – alongside security and customer service desk applications.
It will see BT work with both police forces to support public contact and staff collaboration platforms, delivering efficiencies for 101 and 999 services, whilst improving intelligence gathering and data sharing for staff. Frontline officers will benefit from improved connectivity for devices such as mobile phones, body-worn cameras and vehicle radio systems, delivering benefits for local policing by giving officers access to critical real-time information.
BT will also assist the forces in staying compliant with security frameworks, supporting measures to strengthen their security protocols against external threats. Together, these services will support Devon & Cornwall Police and Dorset Police with their digital policing strategy and strengthen crime prevention efforts, whilst also delivering expected financial efficiencies.
More than 5,100 police officers and 3,500 police staff work within the two forces, and they employ more than 550 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and special constables. As part of the contract, BT has agreed to progress social value initiatives for both forces, implementing measures to improving transparency on the environmental impact of police activities in the South West.
Ashish Gupta, Managing Director, Corporate and Public Sector at BT, said:“Efficient and resilient technology infrastructure is crucial to support the police in tackling both current and emerging threats – so we’re proud to have the back of South West police forces by delivering exactly that. This new managed service from BT will help future-proof connectivity in all areas of policing, from those on the frontline to behind-the-scenes support staff, helping them to protect the public and keep pace with the changing nature of crime.”
Mark Chivers, Chief Technology Officer at Devon and Cornwall Police, said the new contract had followed a successful long-term relationship between BT and Devon & Cornwall Police for IT managed services, said:“We are looking forward to working closely with BT colleagues to implement a new contract across both Dorset Police and Devon & Cornwall Police and to act as our key technology partner in our rapidly changing environment.
“BT brings a wealth of expertise from its wider organisation and having a contract that covers both forces will enable service improvements and efficiencies through the standardisation of service across our strategic alliance.”
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