ABOUT 10,000 police officers are to be issued with mobile phones for use in operational duties by spring 2020.
The devices, which will include apps enabling officers to carry out checks and file crime reports, are expected to help officers connect to police systems whilst working remotely and reduce bureaucratic burden.
It will also allow them to access the systems without the need to return to a police station and log on to a computer.
Previously, when officers dealt with a crime, they would have to return to base to record details of an incident on the appropriate systems and complete paperwork.
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A roll-out of the mobile devices began last month in Dundee, Perth and Kinross as well as Angus, with the project now extending to the north east.
The £21 million Mobile Working Project was part funded by the Scottish Government’s capital budget allocation.
The devices will be further enhanced over time with the addition of future policing applications, including national systems as they become available.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I am pleased that the Scottish Government has been able to help Police Scotland invest in new mobile technology, which will enable officers to work in the heart of Scotland’s communities, providing reassurance and increasing their visibility.
“By utilising updated technology, Scotland’s police service can become even more agile and responsive, ensuring they are better-equipped to meet the demands of a modern Scotland.
“Being able to access information at their fingertips will improve the ability of officers in the north east to react quickly to issues that they encounter while they carry out their duties, keeping people safe.”
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Chief Superintendent Campbell Thomson, north east division, said: “The introduction of mobile working is a huge milestone in the modernisation of policing .”
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