Police hail 'Blackberries' switch

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North Wales Police say the policy of issuing each officer with a hand-held computer had saved hundreds of thousands of pounds in man-hours.

Chief constable Richard Brunstrom said the Blackberries meant officers had access to the police national computer and spent less time behind desks.

Police chiefs claim they have saved an estimated £647,000 in man-hours.

The force said 1,600 devices were issued at no cost, because it was an upgrade of existing mobile phones.

A spokesman said they had saved £647,000 in man-hours for 2007-2008 and are projected to save £522,000 for this financial year.

North Wales Police Authority said the move would mean more officers on the beat.

The authority's chairman, councillor Ian Roberts, said: "One of the constant themes that comes through loud and clear from the people of north Wales is that they want to see police officers out on the beat in their communities.

Every officer has got one already...we are years ahead of the rest of the country Richard Brunstrom, chief constable

"New technology can help us make the best possible use of our officers so that they spend as little time as possible on paper work back at the station."

Mr Brunstrom added: "It is vital that our officers are spending as little time as necessary locked away in a police station behind a desk and as much time as possible out in the street in contact with the public.

'Powerful tool'

"One of the things that we are doing and we are leading the service in this is making better use of modern technology to cut down on that bureaucratic load traditionally undertaken in the police station."

He said the devices meant staff had their offices "stuck to their belt", adding that it was possible to run the force's command and control system and have access to its entire records management system.

He added: "We can look at every photograph ever taken of anybody who has come into contact with the police.

"We have actually been able to separate twin brothers by their tattoos in a photograph on a Blackberry.

"It is a phenomenally powerful tool and the great difference here in north Wales is that every officer has got one already.

"We are years ahead of the rest of the country. We are way past the test phase - we have gone live with this and it's going to get more and more exciting as the technology develops."