National Policing Portfolio
Digital Policing Portfolio Summary
Customer: National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC)
CLIENT BRIEF
Digital First, the forerunner to the Digital Policing Portfolio (DPP) and subsequently incorporated into it, had operated within policing on a small and decentralised scale with limited successes. A significant barrier to delivering solutions was the lack of comprehensive oversight and understanding of exactly what the problems were. Sarax were approached to undertake a Landscape Review, supporting the NPCC Lead, with a specific focus on the police interface with the Common Platform Programme (CPP) and the issues and requirements for digitisation.
WHAT WE DID
Sarax used our landscape mapping tool to deliver a comprehensive Landscape Review Report that clearly identified the readiness and maturity of 44 police forces for digital change, what the problems were, the impact of those problems and recommendations for change.
From the Landscape Review Report recommendations Sarax built a business case to obtain Home Office funding of £40m per annum for the DPP. We were then retained to provide services for the Digital First and Digital Public Contact programmes.
HOW WE DID IT
Sarax worked initially as part of Digital First to develop several digital workstreams from the ground up, taking an instrumental lead in supporting the delivery of the following digitisation initiatives:
- Video Enabled Justice (VEJ) incorporating Virtual Courts
- Digital Case File Information (DCF)
- Common Platform Programme (from a stakeholder perspective)
- Digital Evidence Transfer Service (DETS).
Sarax became a key partner in the Digital First programme and the DPP, providing programme delivery services and technical solutions and support. The work subsequently expanded to include the Digital Public Contact programme which provides a single online contact interface between the public and their local police force.
THE WORKS
Upon the setting up of the DPP, the client required a variety of technical and programme management services to enable delivery. This was a multi-contractor delivery environment with multiple stakeholders and complex dependencies often held by third parties.
As the gaps, complexities, and interdependencies of digital services across the Criminal Justice landscape became better understood by all, the opportunities for change were more apparent. The work was conducted in stages, and with a number of key stakeholders including the Home Office, CJS Common Platform Programme, Crown Prosecution Service, Her Majesty’s Courts & Tribunal Service and the Judiciary.
As the commercial management of DPP changed, Sarax has remained a constant presence and key partner in the successful delivery of Digital Case File and Digital Public Contact programmes on behalf of the Police Digital Service. Sarax was retained on VEJ at the start of the Covid pandemic to offer expert knowledge and support to policing and courts on their Virtual Courts solutions.
TOP 5 BENEFITS
- Authoritatively articulating the issues facing policing in responding to the digitisation initiatives of others
- Securing £40m per annum funding for DPP
- Filling in the gaps of understanding between policing, CPS, HMCTS and others to arrive at solutions acceptable to all parties
- Delivering practical usable solutions
- Providing a voice for policing in a complex stakeholder environment.
VALUE ADD
- Attention to detail: understanding the interaction of the people, process, and technology systems
- Adopting a “no assumptions” philosophy
- Working closely with the right subject matter experts to get to the right solutions.
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