The Victorian police spent a total of $15 million on an IT refresh during the 2013-14 financial year, including the replacing of a distributed server network, transitioning from Windows XP to Windows 7 and designing new data centres
The Victoria Police Annual Report 2013-14 (PDF) said that the initiatives are designed to establish an effective IT infrastructure platform on which “existing and future IT applications can be sustained and developed.”
The first project involved a replacement of the police’s distributed server network, design of new corporate data centres, acquisition of replacement desktop PCs for the organisation which will be rolled out in the financial year 2014-15 and transition of the operating system environment from Windows XP to 7.
Alongside this project, the Victorian police are running a printer rationalisation project (PRP). The PRP is focused on reducing the number of networked and stand-alone printers, scanners, copiers and faxes in favour of more efficient multi-function devices.
In addition, a tender for energy management software (EMS) is due to be released to coincide with the IT refresh in 2014-15. According to the report, the EMS software “has the potential to significantly reduce IT-related energy consumption.”
Victorian police is also replacing a number of large central IT contracts.
“In 2013-14, a request for tender was issued, with a short-listing of providers. The replacement contract will commence operation in the 2015-16 financial year and will provide improved end-to-end management of IT services, and a strengthened vendor performance framework,” read the report.
BlueNet
During 2013-14, Victorian police’s technology enforcement support unit introduced an in-car mobile law enforcement system called BlueNet.
This integrates in-car video, automated number plate recognition, and mobile data terminal technologies.
“Cameras mounted on the exterior of the [police] car scan number plates and alert police officers inside the car to any stolen vehicles/plates, unauthorised drivers and unregistered vehicle,” read the report.
“The in-car video provides increased safety for police officers, as well as audio/visual corroboration of offences.”
According to the report, this has given Victorian police a greater ability to detect and remove unauthorised drivers from roads in the state.
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