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Microsoft Technology for Police Forces
Prevent and reduce the fear of crime, and improve the quality of life for all members of the public with Microsoft technology.
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Chapter 4
Making your ERP solution work, wherever you are on the transformation curve
Ultimately, the case for ERP is a simple one. Police forces are dynamic, multi-faceted and, as we have seen, evolving organisations. They are dependent on a multiplicity of back-office operations: finance, HR, communications, intelligence etc. The sheer number of interactions between each the police force, citizens and partner agencies such as local authority social services departments- creates a backlog of work which places a severe drain on resources.
Officers tied up with paperwork are officers not on the beat. Modern ERP solutions can help lift the burden. By streamlining workflows and processes, frontline officers can concentrate on higher value tasks. ERP hands them back their time and enables them to get out into their communities, working on “hot spot” initiatives and providing a reassuring visible presence – an important step in rebuilding much-needed public trust.
National Policing Digital Strategy
“Operational effectiveness and the ability to protect and engage with citizens or our workforce can be significantly enhanced through connected technologies and by bringing insights and functionality directly to officers and staff wherever they are.” [6]
For some police forces, previous experiences may not have delivered optimal results. However, today’s ERP solutions are a truly transformative technology, bringing process improvements that will ease administrative burdens. Modernising does not require an IT “Big Bang” approach.
Upgrading to a cloud-based ERP solution begins with a thorough assessment of a police force’s needs, which will demonstrate how and where the impact will be and the expected ROI. Migrating to the cloud and upgrading existing ERP solutions is performed with standard functionality as far as possible, reducing costs, and requiring minimal effort.
Technology has always played an intrinsic role in policing. By adopting the latest ERP innovations, such as Microsoft Dynamics 365, police forces can improve back-office processes and workflows, delivering efficient, empathetic and evolving services that will help return public confidence. Freed of their administrative burden, officers can concentrate on reducing crime, keeping their communities safe and ensuring British policing continues to set the pace as it advances beyond its two-hundredth anniversary.
Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, Chair, of the National Police Chiefs’ Council says:
"Policing cannot stand still as technology evolves. If we do, our effectiveness in keeping people safe will be quickly eroded.
Innovation and all that it brings quite simply enables our workforce to do their jobs better. We must push the boundaries of innovation; to be more agile, ensure early adoption and where proven to work, have the capability to quickly scale up nationally.” [7]
Microsoft Technology for Police Forces