Strewth! The demons, as the Kiwis call the police, are getting their mobiles from Pommy Vodafone.
Or to put it in plain English: New Zealand’s police force today signed a 10-year deal with British phone giant Vodafone to supply all its mobile communications.
Vodafone will provide not only phones but also technology infrastructure to help more than 6000 police officers get secure access to information on suspects, vehicles and locations while on the move.
Around 4000 will also be provided with tablets as they “need to undertake more complex data entry as part of their job”.
The New Zealand police said it believes there will be a “30-minute productivity gain per shift” with smart devices and it could be worth 520,000 hours each year, the equivalent of 345 front line officers. The Vodafone deal will cost around NZ$163 million (£90 million) but could save more than NZ$300 million.
New Zealand Police Commissioner Peter Marshall said: “It’s common sense and will ensure officers can remain on the front line rather than returning to stations to complete paperwork.”
