Surrey and Sussex Police awarded £300k for '˜innovative' online work

Sussex and Surrey Police have been given more than £300,000 of Government funding to improve online public services, such as the ability to report crime.
Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne
28/5/13Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne
28/5/13
Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne 28/5/13

The Home Office awarded two years worth of funding from the Government’s Innovation Fund following a joint bid by the two forces.

The two forces will work together to share online reports and intelligence, reducing the risk of duplication.

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Welcoming the news, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne said: “I am delighted that the Home Office has approved this innovative approach to working together, which will provide improved services to the public and represent value for money.

“At a time when we are being asked to find significant savings in the police budget, this funding will help us to find more efficient and effective ways of working that deliver financial savings for the future.”

Detective Superintendent David Leeney, who is heading the project for Sussex and Surrey said:”Surrey and Sussex are already at the forefront of online policing.

“Both forces offer a number of digital services that enable members of the public to report online and receive information updates on crime and safety-related issues.

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“The success of a joint bid for innovation funding recognises Surrey and Sussex as lead forces in this area. It will support work to design a single set of online services that can ultimately be deployed nationally for use by other forces.”

The forces are hoping to improve other ways of working together too.

PCC Katy Bourne added: “The Home Office will be making a further £50 million available through the Police Innovation Fund in 2014/15.

“We will be submitting future bids for developing mobile technology to increase the visibility of frontline officers and for improved systems to enable faster access to information with other police forces and partners.”