The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Tayside police are on the button switching to digital note-taking
New mobile devices first launched in Courier Country are saving officers thousands of hours of their time
Thousands of hours of police time have been saved through the use of new mobile devices first launched in Tayside.
The devices allow officers to conduct checks, record details and share information such as images immediately with colleagues.
Authorities estimate more than 400,000 hours of work time across Scotland has been freed up in one year after the digital switch.
It was first launched in the Tayside division of Police Scotland last summer, before being rolled out in the country’s 12 other regions shortly after.
PC Garrie Watson, of Tayside Division, said the devices have been “extremely useful”.
He said: “The device allows me to save time on a daily basis in various different ways.
“After compiling a witness statement this can now be electronically copied from Pronto (digital notebook) into the Tayside Division system.
“This is a significant time-saver when compared with the paper notebook which requires statements to be manually typed and processed.
“The ability to generate crime reports and access documents and emails while protecting a scene, at custody or on mobile patrol saves me time at the end of the day when I would typically access a computer to complete my paperwork.”
Previously, when officers dealt with a crime, they would have to return to base to record details of the incident on the appropriate systems and to finish off paperwork.
Statements which traditionally would be written into a notebook and transcribed are now typed directly to the device through Pronto.
Officers can now carry out their own checks which could previously only be done via the area control room.
When investigating missing person enquiries, officers can now upload and share images immediately.
David Crichton, vice-chairman of the Scottish Police Authority, said the introduction of mobile working was “much needed” and has brought “real benefits” to the police and the public.
The £21 million Mobile Working Project was part funded by the Scottish Government’s capital budget allocation and included partnership working with BT, Motorola and Samsung.
The device allows me to save time on a daily basis in various different ways. PC GARRIE WATSON