West Yorkshire Police to equip 7,000 officers with Samsung Galaxy Note 3 smartphones

Deployment of mobile devices across the force designed to let police spend more time on the front line

West Yorkshire Police has partnered with Samsung to help officers in the fight against crime by replacing the traditional pocket notebooks with Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android smartphones.

The scheme represents the latest example of the police making use of IT and modern enterprise technology in its efforts to fight crime.

By using mobile devices equipped with applications designed to enable officers to record crimes without having to return to the police station, officers should be able to spend more time on patrol and less time on administrative duties.

The move follows a similar scheme by Cambridgeshire Constabulary which has seen officers equipped with technology including Microsoft Windows 8 smartphones.

West Yorkshire Police's initiative could see up to 7,000 officers equipped with Samsung Galaxy Note 3 devices in what the force has described as one of the "biggest technological advancements in modern policing".

"As a result of this project, there will be an increase in the amount of time officers are able to spend on the streets, dealing with crime and public safety," said West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Andy Battle, who described how the technology will aid officers on the beat.

"The device includes an e-notebook which will enable us to record information and make intelligence submissions via secure mobile police apps.

"Officers will be able to enter electronic witness statements and complete missing person forms without having to put pen to paper back at base. Similarly, the device will allow users to view and update incidents whilst on the beat, increasing our visibility, responsiveness and presence on the streets," he said.

Battle said the devices would enable officers to spend more time on the beat.

"According to a national audit conducted in 2012, which looked at mobile working in policing across the UK, an average of 18 minutes of additional time on the streets was generated," he said.

"From a West Yorkshire perspective, one minute of extra time on the street per officer, per day equates to a million pounds worth of additional policing annually," Battle continued

"We continue to look for ways to revolutionise the way we do business, creating efficiency savings that will ultimately benefit the communities we serve long into the future," he added.

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson also welcomed the introduction of Samsung mobile devices to the force.

"The introduction of the mobile devices will ensure that officers and staff have more time to spend in their communities, offering greater visibility and enabling them to carry out their roles more effectively," he said.

"As we face government cuts of over £160m between 2010 and 2017, it is imperative that we continue to look towards new ways of working that ensure our neighbourhoods are safe and feel safe," Burns-Williamson concluded.

The police aren't the only body that Samsung has teamed up with recently, with the South Korean mobile device manufacturer this year providing the University of East London with 4,000 Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tablets for use by new students at the academic institution.