Following the latest round of government spending cuts the police are expected to find most savings through greater efficiency in the back office. They are also expected to look at their front line operations and redesign them to make them cheaper. So how can a digital pen help?
Digital pens write with ink however also capture information electronically enabling data to be sent over networks for near instant communication. Here are 10 ways police forces can benefit:
1. Low cost, high tech
The price per pen is far cheaper than an average modern smart phone, PDA or other data capture device. Working like normal pen and paper notes can be made, interviews recorded and signatures captured. This can all be instantly transmitted electronically securely back to central systems.
2. Low IT overheads and support
The back end IT infrastructure is very “light” and does not require large support staff numbers, technical engineers, servers and software support personnel at the police.
3. Integration with back end systems to match case records and incident report notes
Case and incident numbers can be linked using the pen to match up with back end systems. This gives the opportunity to link recorded notes and completed form details with other central database information, instantly and seamlessly. No additional typing or administration is necessarily required.
4. Uses existing “pen & paper” note taking for faster training and adoption
Unlike new smart phones or other data capture devices very little training (almost none) is required. This leads to faster adoption and use.
5. Can be used with existing phones
Existing mobile phones can be paired with digital pens for instant data communication. Furthermore if existing phones have GPS or camera facilities then positioning details and pictures can be linked with the notes electronically and sent back to central systems against incident or case IDs.
6. Instant records sent back to base and auto-emailed to colleagues if required
Notes and completed forms can be automatically emailed to colleagues or email in-boxes once digital pen data is sent over the network for immediate attention. This reduces the administrative burden and speeds up communication.
7. Used with standard forms or note paper
A digital pen can be used with standard police forms or notebooks, giving recording flexibility. Paper copies can be retained where required. This means forms do not need to be hugely redesigned at additional cost and time.
8. Lightweight and durable
Digital pens are easy to carry around and will not break if dropped. If they do break the replacement costs are very low compared to other data capture devices. The pens contain normal pen ink that can be replaced when run dry however even without the ink, a pen can still be used as it captures photo images of the handwriting that is recorded i.e. the pen records the writing motion not the actual ink marks.
9. Highly scalable and can be used everywhere
Digital pens can be used on the beat, during investigations, in the office and anywhere a normal pen is used. So it is not bought for a single specific purpose, it can be used all the time. A digital pen solution is also highly scalable meaning a whole station or force can deploy and use.
10. Signature playback
Signature playback shows not just that a signature was captured, rather how it was written and this can be used as submittable court evidence, thus also potentially reducing administration.