Grampian police pilot mobile control system

Grampian Police are piloting a mobile data solution which will enable officers on the beat to obtain details of incidents before they've reached the scene of a crime.

The mobile incident control and field information system has been supplied by a consortium comprising Bull Information Systems, RAM Mobile Data and disk drive maker Xyratex.

Called Storm Lite, it is based on Bull's System for Tasking and Operational Resource Management (Storm), in-car mobile data terminals from Xyratex and the RAM public wireless data network. The system is also equipped with Skyview GPS tracking technology.

According to Grampian Police, Storm Lite allows officers on patrol to access information about incidents while on the move. It also provides links to the Police National Computer, allowing officers to check car registration numbers and criminal records within seconds.

Officers can gain access to the exact details of the nature and location of an incident, the priority and details of informants, the status of any other units despatched, and a text log detailing the progress of the call.

Chief Inspector Ian Duncan, of Grampian Police, said: "Being able to record incident details and message in the field makes more efficient use of officers' time, while collating greater quantities of information about the incident than is possible with traditional methods."

Grampian Police is due to start using the Storm Lite system next month.