Photo: sbs.com.au

Visiting Werribee Police Station today, Premier Daniel Andrews joined Minister for Police Lisa Neville and Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton to announce the tender process for Victoria Police’s technology revolution.

Police will soon have access to mobile devices to overhaul how frontline officers access information and respond to crime. The technology will be used in partnership with the new intelligence system announced in June.

The Andrews Labor Government invested $227 million in police technology in the Victorian Budget 2016/17, delivering on our promise to give Victoria Police the resources and the powers they need to keep Victorians safe.

The suite of devices and other technology will be rolled out progressively to frontline officers over the next four years. Police in the field will be able to more effectively report family violence incidents and other crimes, with:

• Access to Sheriff notifications, the Victoria Police Manual and legislation, National Police Record System and emails
• The ability to take and store photos, video and audio recordings, online training and various other functions
• Significantly reduced paperwork, with on-board applications helping police process statements and access critical databases in the field

The third stage of the technology rollout will see frontline officers equipped with body-worn cameras to capture video evidence at the time and location of an incident.

These investments in technology will help free up our frontline police so they’re spending less time on administrative duties, and more time fighting crime in our communities.

The Labor Government has invested a record amount in fighting crime, with this year’s $596 million Public Safety Package providing more than 400 new police including 300 frontline officers, new police vehicles, ballistics vests and other equipment – as well as a $15 million 24/7 Monitoring and Assessment Centre.

Since November 2014, the Government has funded more than 1150 police personnel.