telent, global UK technology and network services company, has launched a pioneering digital evidence management solution that could potentially save police forces millions of pounds per year.
Digital Evidence Management solution telent’s digital evidence management solution is designed to specifically meet the needs of UK police forces
Jointly developed with UK-based specialist policing software application provider, Innaxys and in conjunction with emergency services across the country, telent’s digital evidence management solution is designed to specifically meet the needs of UK police forces. It provides 100% UK sovereignty of the storage of digital evidence with all data encrypted and held securely on telent’s Public Services Network (PSN) accredited and UK-based cloud platform.
Addressing the increase in digital evidence, such as CCTV footage, photos and videos recorded by the public, and body camera and dashcam clips, the solution will significantly reduce the time officers spend physically collecting CCTV images and enable faster analysis and processing of evidence. Police forces will also be able to securely share evidence with the criminal justice system to ensure evidence cannot be misplaced, lost or damaged, reducing court case adjournments and delays.
Telent - Innaxys collaboration
A proof of concept has already been successfully delivered, with the first live deployment currently in the final stages of user acceptance testing ahead of its planned go live date later this year. While specific cost savings will be proportional to the size of individual police forces, a medium sized force has estimated that the solution will save 2,100 officer shifts per annum. The same force also believes a 50% reduction in court case adjournments can be achieved through the solution’s secure sharing of digital evidence.
“Jointly with Innaxys we have developed this solution in consultation with UK police forces specifically to address the challenges faced by officers collecting data in the modern policing age where there has been a huge increase in public and business CCTV use,” said Barry Zielinski, General Manager Public Safety & Defence at telent. “This is combined with a proliferation of smartphones, dash cams, social media and body worn cameras, creating both opportunities and challenges for policing. This solution helps officers efficiently collect, manage, store and share these new digital evidence sources. It will save officer time collecting images, reduce court case adjournments and ensure the security of digital evidence by eliminating the risk of it being destroyed, tampered with, lost or even left in public places.”
Proliferation of digital evidence
telent’s solution follows the CoPaCC/Police ICT User Perspectives 2018 report, which is based on a survey across UK police forces
telent’s solution follows the CoPaCC/Police ICT User Perspectives 2018 report, which is based on a survey across UK police forces. This research highlights concerns regarding the management of digital evidence, stating that urgent action is required to manage the proliferation of digital evidence and replace current time consuming and insecure processes.
The solution is available via a national police procurement framework and forces which choose to use the solution will be provided with management options for each digital asset or piece of evidence, including who has access, how long they have access, and what metadata about the evidence is shared. When collecting evidence from members of the public, the force can email a link which lets people securely upload their footage from anywhere with an Internet connection.
Integration with Digital Evidence Transfer System (DETS)
The solution also integrates directly with the Digital Evidence Transfer System (DETS) which will link police forces to the criminal justice system. DETS was also developed by Innaxys and is currently being trialed by the Home Office in conjunction with five police forces across the UK. It is expected to be mandated by the Home Office for use by all police forces in 2020.
Jean-Claude Lafontaine, CEO at Innaxys, said: “Through the digital evidence management solution, the time and cost of collecting evidence from the public is massively reduced. Such a system will become more and more necessary in the future, as digital evidence continues to grow, and officer resources are put under increasing strain.”
Faster processing, sharing of digital evidence Additional key benefits of telent’s digital evidence management solution include faster processing and sharing of digital evidence
Additional key benefits of telent’s digital evidence management solution include faster processing and sharing of digital evidence with suspects which will reduce “no comment” interviews and ensure criminals are brought to justice faster. Providing more efficient analysis and management of digital assets is particularly important for larger and complex investigations.
Simple crowd sourcing of phone and dash cam images for both minor incidents and major terrorism incidents will also be made possible, while police forces’ reputation will be protected due to the solution eliminating the risk of digital evidence being destroyed, tampered with, lost or left in public places.
“In the context of legacy IT systems, budget cuts and increasing demand for frontline policing, this solution is exactly what’s required to ensure that the UK’s police forces have a cost-effective solution that will them see them well into the future and supplement the incredible work that they do,” added Barry Zielinski at telent.
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