Suffolk police introduce single sign-on system

Technology should reduce calls to the helpdesk

Officers will be given a single password

Suffolk Constabulary is using a single sign-on (SSO) system to simplfy police officers’ access to multiple applications with a single login.

Suffolk Constabulary staff use on a wide range of applications to support their work, including a crime database, a despatch system, a missing persons database, a personnel system and intranet.

Each member of staff now only needs a single password to access any of these applications.

'Most officers don’t require everyday network access because they have far more important roles to play outside the office,' said Mark Evans, applications manager at Suffolk Constabulary. 'Their infrequent use of the IT systems meant they couldn’t possibly remember all of the passwords used to access disparate applications.'

Police officers were not required to use the applications every day, and were routinely forgetting individual passwords, prompting a review of system security and access measures.

The roll out of 2,600 ActivIdentity SSO licences across 30 sites will increase efficiency among police officers as well as ensure data and applications are securely protected.

Suffolk Constabulary also anticipates a significant reduction in the number of calls to the helpdesk over time as a consequence of implementing the SSO solution.

'The SSO roll-out has already begun and the feedback from our officers has been nothing short of glowing,' said Evans.