The current structure of 43 geographical forces was established in the 1960s and there have long been concerns that the model is not fit for purpose. Research by report sponsor Virgin Media O2 also found that three forces in England and Wales had no officers dedicated to investigating fraud. “It’s certainly my personal contention that the safer streets mission is simply not achievable without digital data and technology,” he said. The NPCC said that projects that have already been piloted have saved 347,656 workforce hours and £8.2 million per year, and could save 15 million hours and £370 million per year if rolled out nationally. The system to automatically redact text is estimated to save around one million hours of staff time per year.
