The Bichard Inquiry - Report - Digital Education Resource Archive ...

4.31 € Although CRISP (see paragraph 4.19 above) was not designed to be
the national solution, it is to be used, with other initiatives, as a building
block for Project IMPACT (Intelligence Management Prioritisation Analysis
Co-ordination and Tasking). It is intended that IMPACT should deliver a
range of compatible products to support the full implementation of NIM.
PITO will undertake a feasibility study this year. I understand that IMPACT is
the subject of a funding bid under the Spending Review 2004 and I strongly
support this proposal.
Recommendation
A national IT system for England and Wales to support police
intelligence should be introduced as a matter of urgency. The Home
Office should take the lead and report by December 2004 with clear
targets for implementation.
Responsibility: The Home Office
An interim solution – the PLX
4.32 € Recently there has been progress in England and Wales towards an
intelligence-flagging system, known as the PLX system, with a pilot that
involves three forces. It has been driven by the needs of the Criminal
Records Bureau (CRB) rather than (as one might have expected) any or all
of PITO, ACPO or the Home Office. It will be available to all police forces by
the end of 2005.
4.33 € It is clear to me that the PLX system is a significant advance in the support
of effective policing and offers an interim solution, pending the introduction
of the national IT system. Although the PLX is not a substitute for a national
intelligence solution, it is considerably cheaper and easier to set up and
delivers important intelligence benefits in addition to its vetting capabilities.
The PLX must also be given urgent priority.
Recommendation
The PLX system, which flags that intelligence is held about someone
by particular police forces, should be introduced in England and
Wales by 2005.
Responsibility: The Home Office
Finding the best IT procurement
4.34 € The evidence the Inquiry received about police IT procurement raised
concerns as to whether that system is working efficiently. The key issue once
again is to determine which procurements can be dealt with locally and
which are national projects, requiring a national IT solution. If the latter is the
case, then it makes no sense to allow local forces to frustrate or delay its
achievement. The lessons from NSPIS must be taken on board.
132 The Bichard Inquiry – National systems and structure – the findings