London’s 31,000 police officers are set to be fitted with a tracking device to monitor their movements while on duty under a scheme by the Metropolitan Police.
Technology services firm Telent will provide the police service’s officers with an Automated Personal Location System (APLS), which would use police radios to accurately pin-point the location of officers on duty.
Currently, they can be tracked via the location system in their police vehicle, and through notification on their police radios.
A pilot scheme is due to take place in two London boroughs in the autumn. If it is rolled out to all of London’s 33 boroughs, the scheme would cost £2.2m.
The Met said the technology will enhance the safety of its officers on duty, and enable a more efficient response to calls.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Nigel Lee, supra workstream manager at the Met, said safety is a primary concern for all police forces.
“The area served by our force covers 620 square miles,” he said. “Knowing the location of our officers means that not only can we provision resource more effectively, but, should an officer need assistance, we can get to them even more quickly.”
