BT lands £70m IT services deal with Devon & Cornwall and Dorset police forces

The ten-year contract with Devon & Cornwall Police and Dorset Police will see BT manage IT services for the two forces.

Frontline officers benefit from a suite of services that support body-worn cameras, vehicle radio systems and access to real-time information for community policing.

The services provided will improve connectivity between frontline officers and office staff
The contract builds on BT’s long-term relationship with UK police forces.

BT today announced that it has signed a ten-year, £70m IT services agreement with Devon & Cornwall Police and Dorset Police.

Together, the two police forces handle more than one million emergency and non-emergency calls and respond to more than 118,000 recorded crime incidents each year.

The new long-term agreement will strengthen the technology base of the force by creating a future-proof infrastructure to support more joint policing, with the potential to extend the contract to neighboring forces in the South West region.

The managed services contract will support a range of police information, technology and communications requirements, including mobile field connectivity, radio and hand-held vehicles for emergency services – alongside security and customer service applications.

BT will work with both police forces to support public contacts and staff collaboration platforms, delivering efficiencies for 101 and 999 services, while improving information gathering and data sharing for staff.

Frontline officers will benefit from improved connectivity for devices such as mobile phones, body-worn cameras and vehicle radio systems, providing benefits for local policing by giving officers access to critical information in real-time.

BT will also assist forces to comply with security frameworks by supporting measures to strengthen security protocols against external threats.

Together, these services will support Devon & Cornwall Police and Dorset Police with their digital policing strategy and strengthen crime prevention efforts while delivering the expected financial efficiencies.

More than 5,100 police officers and 3,500 constables work across the two forces and have more than 550 Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) and special agents.

As part of the contract, BT has agreed to progress social value initiatives for both forces by implementing measures to improve transparency on the environmental impact of police activities in the South West.

Ashish Gupta, Managing Director, Corporate and Public Sector at BT, said: “Efficient and resilient technology infrastructure is essential to support the police in tackling both current and emerging threats – so we are proud to have the support of the South West Police by offering just that. This new managed service from BT will help future-proof connectivity across all areas of policing, from those on the frontline to support staff behind the scenes, helping them protect the public and keep up with the changing nature of crime.”

Mark Chivers, Chief Technology Officer at Devon and Cornwall Police, said the new contract followed a successful long-term relationship between BT and Devon & Cornwall Police for IT managed services: “We look forward to working closely with BT colleagues to to implement a new contract with both Dorset Police and Devon and Cornwall Police and act as a key technology partner in our rapidly changing environment,” he said.

“BT brings a wealth of experience from its wider organisation, and a contract covering both forces will enable service improvements and efficiencies by standardizing services across our Strategic Alliance.”

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