Mon, 1 Aug 2011

Police forces see benefit of integrated workforce tool

Workforce management software will be used by police forces across the country in future, an industry expert has predicted.

Following Cheshire Police Authority’s implementation of a tailor-made workforce management, HR and payroll solution in January this year, David Hughes, head of marketing at employee management systems provider Crown Computing, said he had seen significant interest from other forces.

Created by a partnership between Crown, IT provider Oracle and IT services group Capgemini UK, the system combines payroll, procurement, finance, workforce management, performance management, logistics, asset and fleet management software.

The Integrated Business Systems Solution is expected to save Cheshire Constabulary at least £40m over 10 years, with the current framework under a four-year agreement.

Hughes said other forces have seen the benefits of the ready-made solution and at least four have contacted the partnership to arrange demonstrations. ‘I’m sure that interest will translate into adoption by a number of police forces,’ said Hughes. ‘At long last there’s a model which means you don’t have to go through a cumbersome tendering process.’

Speaking on the launch of the Cheshire agreement, John Cook, Capgemini’s business development director, claimed other forces would benefit. ‘The savings Cheshire Police Authority will make from the framework agreement can be replicated in most other police forces and will play an important part in helping police authorities meet their budgetary constraints,’ he said.