Innovative policing know-how options have been recognised on the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Innovation and Digital awards.
Image courtesy NPCC
The profitable initiatives at Tuesday night time’s National Police Chiefs’ Council Innovation and Digital Summit included collaborative work on fraud which considerably diminished re-victimisation, use of facial recognition to catch a severe offender, in addition to pioneering operational coaching for police commanders.
Leaders who’ve pushed technological change throughout the service had been additionally recognised on the landmark convention in Liverpool, with Essex Police scooping two awards.
The three day convention, which is organised by the Police Digital Service, is essentially the most important occasion within the police know-how calendar, with round 800 individuals from policing, public sector and business companions on account of attend.
Chief Constable Rob Carden, NPCC lead for digital knowledge and know-how, mentioned: “Innovation and harnessing new technology should be the absolute bedrock for improving policing and building trust and confidence in our service.
“Liverpool is a city built on energy, innovation and entrepreneurship and I am so pleased to see this same spirit run through everything that we have seen showcased at this conference.
“The work we have recognised at these awards, as well as the dozens of other projects that were nominated, demonstrate the considerable ingenuity and initiative I see across policing every day.”
Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan, NPCC lead for science and innovation, added: “Our award winners embody the very best of policing and I would like to congratulate all of them for their work, innovation and dedication.
“Police reform has been a key theme at this conference – and this can only happen by recognising our people, promoting their excellence and evolving our service into one that embraces new technology to deliver the very best outcomes for our communities and our workforce.
“There is brilliant work happening across policing and it is our responsibility as leaders to ensure we identify this innovation and ensure it has the maximum impact across every part of the country.”
Winning professionaljects
Collaboration within the furthering of Digital, Data, Science and Technology
Winner: Essex Police
(Digital Multi Agency Approach to Fraud Innovation)
The Essex Digital Multi-Agency Approach to Fraud (MAAF), launched in 2024, is a pioneering digital collaboration mannequin designed to remodel how fraud is tackled throughout businesses. Developed in response to fragmented and unsustainable legacy programs, MAAF unites policing, native authorities, buying and selling requirements, sufferer providers and group companions via a safe, scalable Microsoft 365-based platform.
MAAF is structured round six core workstreams; knowledge, communications, sufferer care, studying and improvement, enforcement, and cyber crime, coordinated via formal governance and real-time data sharing. The platform permits fast referrals, tailor-made sufferer assist, and proactive fraud prevention, decreasing re-victimisation by 95 per cent.
By utilizing current digital merchandise, MAAF saved an estimated £100,000 in improvement prices and £25,000 yearly in staffing, with no price to companion businesses. Public engagement campaigns have reached over 500,000 residents, and accredited coaching has upskilled professionals throughout the businesses concerned.
Recognised by HMICFRS pretty much as good follow, MAAF is now being piloted by one other pressure and has been shared with regional and nationwide companions.
Excellence in Productivity & Value for Money
Winner: Metropolitan Police Service
(Building a Generative AI Freedom of Information Tool)
The Metropolitan Police constructed an AI resolution to assist it handle its rising quantity of freedom of data requests. The new software developed by Capgemini working alongside the Met’s inner knowledge science crew exceeded all expectations: the time taken to course of every FOI request has dropped by round 59 per cent, with a specific marked drop within the time to course of extra complicated requests.
Innovation in Embedding Science, Technology, or Digital Solutions to Front Line Policing
Winner: South Wales Police and Gwent Police
(Creation & Implementation of Operator Initiated Facial Recognition in Frontline Policing)
South Wales Police and Gwent Police proceed to pioneer the use of facial recognition know-how and has made important strides in utilizing facial recognition in additional reactive conditions to determine explicit suspects in actual time. Significant session and partnership working went in to the coaching, improvement and launch for its operator initiated facial recognition programme, which has up to now helped officers determine offenders who refused to reveal their particulars or offered false data. This included a person discovered to have an impressive European arrest warrant for 12 years for medicine provide and assaulting a police officer abroad, who was recognized from a 13-year-old photograph.
Excellence in Training, Talent & Development in Digital, Data, Science & Technology
Winner: Devon & Cornwall Police
(Police Major Incident Training)
Devon and Cornwall Police labored to ship an progressive digital actuality coaching bundle on main incidents for police commanders. Officers who’ve undertaken the course have reported considerably increased ranges of confidence to handle main incidents, whereas the coaching is now being rolled out by different forces in England and Wales in addition to abroad.
Excellence in Cyber Security
Winner: Cheshire Constabulary
(IT Security Team – Securing Active Directory)
Cheshire Constabulary recognized a weak point with entry to its lively listing system and used it current relationships with companions to run a purple crew train to totally determine the system’s vulnerabilities. It used the outcomes of this train to take steps to mitigate the dangers which was examined in a second purple crew train, which discovered the system to be extra resilient. Some of the educational from this train is now being rolled out throughout all forces.
Enabling Diversity & Inclusion in Science & Technology
Winner: Thames Valley Police & Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary
(Creation of Women in Technology Initiative)
The forces’ joint ICT division arrange a ‘Women in Technology’ group within the division, led by Claire Finn, to extend illustration and management alternatives. Extensive engagement work by the group, resembling securing exterior audio system for talks, coaching and improvement in addition to mentoring, has helped enhance feminine illustration within the ICT division from 15 per cent to 26 per cent, simply above the business customary, together with higher illustration in administration positions.
Digital Data, Science and Technology Ambassador
Winner: PC Fintan Foley – Essex Police
PC Fintan Foley has been a relentless champion for driving the uptake of know-how options and innovation in his pressure and past. He has been instrumental in pioneering the use of physique worn cameras and a live-streaming platform inside Essex Police, enhancing not solely officer security and operational effectivity but additionally laying the groundwork for nationwide adoption. From integrating physique work video into bike items and firearms canines to growing cost-effective 3D-printed mounts and transportable public order kits, PC Foley has persistently demonstrated a forward-thinking strategy that maximises current sources whereas delivering high-impact outcomes.
Excellence in Science & Technology Leadership
Winner: Hitesh Lad – West Yorkshire Police
Hitesh has given greater than 30 years of assist to West Yorkshire Police as area and consumer assist supervisor. He is an actual unsung hero for the pressure, extensively revered by colleagues in his supply of vital providers for frontline officers and assist employees throughout the pressure in addition to a bunch of regulation enforcement companions.
Excellence in Science & Technology Leadership
Winner: ACO Dougie Henderson – Greater Manchester Police
Through ACO Dougie Henderson’s management, Greater Manchester Police is now efficiently embracing new know-how and seeing outcomes. There has been a shift in pondering and tradition throughout GMP, from utilizing refreshed know-how, improved platforms and bringing providers again in-house to spice up the native firm. ACO Henderson has been a champion of the pressure’s ‘think out of the box’ mentality, attracting a number of suppliers and programs to acquire the most effective know-how, in addition to expertise from the native space and in business.
Failing Forward
Winner: Hertfordshire Constabulary – Nicholas Redfearn
The police chief scientific advisor Paul Taylor recognises this award as half of efforts to drive a tradition of innovation in policing the place forces usually are not afraid to strive new issues. Hertfordshire Constabulary was this yr recognised for his or her efforts to introduce an AI writing software to help with issues like transcription, statements and case recordsdata.
The NPCC Innovation and Digital summit 2025 befell Twentieth-Twenty second October on the ACC Liverpool – collectively hosted by the NPCC Digital, Data and Technology and Science and Innovation Coordination Committees, in shut collaboration with the Office of the Police Chief Scientific Adviser and the Police Digital Service – bringing collectively policing and business, serving to showcase some of the cohesive work going down to drive innovation and utilise know-how, in the direction of enhancing police providers.