Government committee slams police IT systems as 'not fit for purpose'

The IT systems used by the police have been branded "not fit for purpose" in a damning report by the House of Commons Home Affairs Committee into the use of technology across the UK's 43 forces.

The New Landscape of Policing report, based on interviews with police chiefs and government ministers, found that the current IT set up is not providing the expected benefits, and contains far too many disparate systems.

"IT across the police service as a whole is not fit for purpose, to the detriment of the police's ability to fulfill their basic mission of preventing crime and disorder," the report said.

"The main reason for the mess is that the 43 forces have a multiplicity of IT systems and IT contracts. The Home Office must make revolutionising police IT a top priority."

The report also highlighted confusion over suggestions that the government will scrap the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) and replace it with a government company to improve procurement.

"There is so little detail about the police-led IT company that we find it difficult to reach a conclusion about its viability," it said.

"We seek clarity from the Home Office on which police force or forces it has in mind to take on responsibility for the existing IT systems provided directly by the NPIA, and an assurance the force will be given the necessary resources to take on this task."