Agreement signed for more police services to merge

At a summit meeting on January 28, the three chief constables and police and crime commissioners formally signed a collaboration agreement for ICT services.

Last year similar agreements were signed for control rooms and for Firearms and Explosives Licensing and Human Resources functions.

Ian Bell has been appointed as the head of ICT for all three forces, while the next stage will be to appoint a single senior management team with responsibility for both day-to-day business and the move to a fully collaborated ICT team.

Bosses claim that increased collaboration will mean improvements in resilience and economies of scale, and will provide an opportunity to introduce 

best practice and new technology across the three forces.