Laptop
Control In The Event Of A Force Network Failure
Policing operations in Northamptonshire can now
be run from a single laptop computer from any location in the event of
a widespread network failure.
The Force has invested heavily in business continuity preparations and
can now call upon a mobile policing system – to which the laptop
is integral - if there is a system failure at Force Headquarters, Wootton
Hall.
Senior officers in the Force Communications Centre (FCC) have tested the
system, using emergency facilities elsewhere in the county, and the tests
have shown that Northamptonshire Police can maintain a full service to
the public in almost any eventuality.
A key element of the system is the innovative use of supporting technologies
that include mobile phones, call routing devices, mothballed off-site
equipment and mobile computing.
In the event of network failure, all current live incidents will still
be able to be accessed via a stand-alone laptop that also contains extracts
from the Force intelligence system, missing persons, the personnel database,
electronic forms and other day-to-day documents and records.
This simple approach ensures that all normal business can continue while
the full alternative ‘dark-site’ facility is being established.
The Force is also finalising its working practices around a ‘golden
hour plan’, detailing roles and functions for all FCC personnel in
the event of the total loss of systems and effectively bridging the gap
between normal operations and establishing an alternative facility.
Jeff Gutteridge, the business continuity manager for the FCC, said: 'Our
quarterly tests, supplemented by live scenarios, have proven that we can
maintain full services at all times, even on the move.
'We work closely with our partners in Leicestershire and offer each other
mutual support, particularly in call taking.
'The flexibility of Airwave and call routing and the minimal costs of
maintaining a fleet of mobile phones, coupled with our innovative use
of laptop technology, allows us to command Force incidents from anywhere
in the country, literally within seconds of our command centre operations
failing.
'We have tested these approaches extensively and always look to learn
from those tests to make sure that we continually improve our continuity
arrangements.'
Chief Inspector Gary Ashton, of the Force Communications Centre, added:
'The laptop enables us to devolve operational capability which gives our
business more resilience and enables us to meet our requirements within
the Local Policing Plan and the Citizen Focus agenda.
'This development is also a considerable boon for Forces like Northamptonshire
who find themselves working under severe financial restraints.'
Henny Cameron, the Change Manager within the Force’s Information
Services Department (ISD), said: 'The laptop command has been set up to
give a service to officers at our most senior command level and hopefully
we will soon be able to introduce this capability on a more localised
basis.
'Scheduled Business Objects documents have been created to supply the
majority of the information available on the laptop. The underlying systems
are in-house developed systems based on Oracle technologies.
'The laptop is a generic issue that is kept docked in the Force’s
Gold Control, where it is used for briefings and Powerpoint presentations.'
