Police mobile computer rollout ahead of schedule

More than 26,000 of 30,000 proposed devices deployed a year ahead of deadline

Police mobile rollout is almost finished

The 43 police forces in England and Wales have deployed 26,188 mobile PDAs to frontline officers, police minister Vernon Coaker told the home affairs committee this week.

The devices are intended to improve the efficiency of officers and prevent them having to return to the office to file paperwork.

Use of the devices was recommended in Sir Ronnie Flanagan's review of policing in 2008.

Last year, home secretary Jacqui Smith announced that 30,000 devices would be rolled out to officers by March 2010, putting forces well ahead of schedule.

Coaker also said the National Fraud Reporting Centre (NFRC) – set up as the first stop for the public to report instances of online fraud – may take action on fraud rather than just being an information gathering scheme.

"The first thing people want to know when they report something is what action is taking place," he said. "We will have to find a way that they find out what has happened. There is a possibility that there will be some action when a fraud is reported via the NFRC."