GMP’s statement in relation to HMICFRS review

GMP thanks HMICFRS for conducting the review on our integrated operational policing system (iOPS) that was introduced in July 2019. Chief Constable Ian Hopkins requested the independent review on 14 August 2019. This was commissioned by The Deputy Mayor and undertaken in November 2019, four months after the launch of the system. The report reflects one moment in time and since this date further advancements have been made both in the system, such as call handling times, iOPS mobile and working more efficiently with our partners including the CPS, and in staff confidence levels.

The Chief asked HMICFRS to conduct the review for transparency with the public and GMP colleagues, and to ensure our recovery plans were fit for purpose.

We are reassured by the findings as they do not indicate anything we were not aware of and since this date, we have already resolved many of the issues highlighted, in the four months since the inspection. As with any significant IT system replacement, the organisation takes time to adapt to the change.

We have examined the nine recommendations made by the HMICFRS closely and we will ensure we address those that still have work to be done. All the recommendations have had actions taken from them, and seven of these have already been completed. We have a detailed action plan tracking our progress against all those recommendations. We will continue to support staff in adapting to the system, and prioritise enhancements based on user feedback.

We are pleased that significant progress in developing iOPS has been made since our July launch and are thankful for the support from our partners. We are now beginning to see the benefits of the new system, and we have a plan for future enhancements.

GMP’s Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said: “GMP’s legacy information system had been subject to many years of negative comment in HMICFRS Inspection from our staff. This was because they were decades old, not sustainable and there was significant risk of catastrophic failure. These systems were creating significant risks for the public and officers alike because of inaccurate data and the risk of catastrophic failure.

“Our new system enables compliance with National IT strategies, GDPR and allows us to significantly improve service delivery to the public through our use of mobile technology and better sharing information with partners. 

“iOPS is made up of several systems that link in together including two key products - Police Works and Control Works, developed by Capita, an experienced supplier in the police marketplace. The modern infrastructure and data warehousing has improved our ability to understand in live-time the demand we have in Greater Manchester, and the resources at our disposal through its inter-active iOPS Dashboard – new functionality that GMP has never had before.

“The migration process of information to the new system was a technical success, with over 25 million records successfully migrated from our legacy systems (with a 0% failure rate), and we are working hard to introduce external reporting of the data to partners and the Home Office now the system is live and stable.

“We have worked closely with a number of external agencies in order to mitigate reduced service levels and continue to work with Capita to ensure advancements in the system are maximised and tailored to suit the needs of GMP. Following the launch of ControlWorks GMP saw improved performance with the waiting time for 999 calls to be answered falling and the number of calls answered increasing.

“The new system provides better quality information to officers and managers, and officers are now able to work, more effectively and flexibly in their communities from mobile devices, and it provides a platform for future cutting edge technology applications with the investment in high-specification equipment and software.”