Thumbs up for new forms system

An electronic forms system trialled by Lancashire Constabulary's Eastern Division Road Policing Unit, has increased the visibility of officers to the public by up to one hour per shift per officer.

The system has also demonstrated a significant reduction in paperwork, resulting in less frustration for officers and more efficient and accurate ticketing.

Form Patrol - an electronic forms system provided by HeliMedia-replaces traditional paper-based processes and is the first mobile data application in the UK used to issue Fixed Penalty Notices.

It was also used in the trial to issue eight types of other e-forms including
Stop and Search forms.

Following the trial, a full evaluation report has been written by Lancashire Constabulary and HeliMedia Ltd and is available to other police forces. Stuart Fillingham, head of ICT at Lancashire commented, "The current process for issuing fixed penalty notices requires officers to carry a batch of blank forms with them, these are then completed by hand at the scene of the incident, a copy given to the recipient, then on their return to station the officer then puts the completed form in the internal mail where it goes via supervision to an input bureau. The time delay can be days and about 20 per cent of forms are returned to officers with queries or errors."

A key advantage to using Form Patrol is the speed at which intelligence is collected and disseminated into Lancashire's own intelligence database, known as 'Sleuth'. Critical intelligence gathered whilst carrying out Stop and Search duties can be made available to
officers in a matter of hours.

In the current climate of on-going threats to public security, including terrorism and organised crime, the ability to have up-to-date intelligence at an officer's fingertips is invaluable.

Simon Hall, Managing Director of HeliMedia, commented, "Lancashire Constabulary has always been at the vanguard of new technology.

We have been very pleased to take part in this trial to investigate the benefits of mobile data and the reduction in bureaucracy that it can bring."

• For more information contact:

info@helimedia.co.uk or 01452 857155