XN000022-1983-06-07 — Page 6

TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 1983

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AS A STARTING POINT IN 1981, THE FORCE COMPUTER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED WITH A REPRESENTATION EMBRACING ALL ASPECTS OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

''THE GROUP NOW ENSURES A RATIONAL ISED APPROACH TO THE INTRODUCTION OF ESSENTIAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY BY PROVIDING A MEANS WHEREBY THE VARIOUS NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE FORCE CAN BE IDENTIFIED AND AFTER BEING FULLY JUSTIFIED, ASSESSED AS TO A RELATIVE PRIORITY AND THEN PROCESSED.

''AT THE PRESENT TIME, JOINTLY WITH GOVERNMENT, THE FORCE IS WELL ADVANCED IN ITS PLANNING FOR A MUCH ENHANCED REPLACEMENT FOR THE EXISTING COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEM, WHICH WAS COMMISSIONED IN 1977, AND IS FAST COMING TO THE END OF ITS LIFE CIRCLE.”

THE NEW SYSTEM WILL NOT ONLY FULFIL THE BASIC FUNCTIONS PERFORMED BY THE PRESENT CONFIGURATION, BUT WILL ALSO PROVIDE FACILITIES FOR THE ANALYSIS OF THE INFORMATION CAPTURED SO AS TO GIVE SUPERVISORS AND SENIOR OFFICERS AT ALL LEVELS REFINED MANAGEMENT INFORMATION WHICH IS HITHERTO UNAVAILABLE.

''THE RESULT WILL BE THE TAKING OF BETTER INFORMED DECISIONS ON SUCH MATTERS AS NECESSARY MANPOWER LEVELS, VOLUME AND TYPE OF INCIDENTS AND CALLS FOR ASSISTANCE FROM MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THUS ENSURING MUCH GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN THE SPREAD AND USE OF RESOURCES, AND A CONSEQUENT IMPROVED RESPONSE, MR. BROWN EXPLAINED.

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THE ENHANCED SYSTEM WILL ALSO PROVIDE A NUMBER OF ADDITIONA. FEATURES INCLUDING A FACILITY FOR THE RECORDING OF DETAILS OF CRIMES REPORTED TO THE POLICE AND ALSO OF STOLEN AND FOUND PROPERTY,

WHILE OPERATIONAL OFFICERS WILL HAVE,VIA THE TERRITORY WIDE RADIO AND VDU NETWORK, QUICK ACCESS TO THE VAST AMOUNT OF INFORMATION STORED IN THE SYSTEM, SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS WILL BE ABLE TO OBTAIN INFORMATION UPON TRENDS AND PATTERNS OF CRIME, IN FAR MORE DETAIL THAN CURRENTLY AVAILABLE.

SIMULTANEOUS WITH THIS PROJECT, PLANNING IS ON-GOING FOR AN INTEGRATED PERSONNEL AND TRAINING SYSTEM TO CATER FOR THE DAY-TO-DAY NEEDS FOR STAFF MOVEMENT, LATERAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT, PROMOTION AND TRAINING.

POSITIVE PROGRESS IS ALSO BEING MADE IN OTHER FIELD FOR EXAMPLE, BY THE USE OF WORD PROCESSORS, WHICH HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN A NUMBER OF KEY AREAS OF THE FORCE AND BY THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPUTER ISED EXAMINATION PAPER MARKING.

**WHILST ACCEPTING THAT THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL PRESENCE OF A POLICE OFFICER WILL ALWAYS BE PARAMOUNT IN THE MAINTENANCE OF LAW ORDER, IT IS EQUALLY CERTAIN THAT THE USE OF CONTEMPORARY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WILL ENSURE A BETTER USE OF RESOURCES, AND ENABLE, TO A LARGE EXTENT, INCREASING WORKLOADS TO BE ABSORBED, WITHOUT A NEED TO MAKE A COMMENSURATE INCREASE IN THAT MOST EXPENSIVE OF RESOURCES- MANPOWER,**

'' MR. BROWN CONCLUDED.

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