Transport plod tools up with PDAs

PDAs are the most significant advance in police beat technology since the truncheon and personal radios in 1967, says the force. All of the officers in the BTP's reassurance teams will be equipped with a PDA, says the plod. The gadget will be used to check on a person's criminal history and be able to link that person to their registered address.

The technology has been sorted out for the coppers by mobile data making so-and-so's at Beat Systems, and is being provided in partnership with Northgate Information Solutions. Around an hour of admin time will be saved by the new technology being in place, since officers will no longer have to update information systems when they return to the station.

Chief Superintendent of the British Transport Police, Paul Crowther, said that ticket touts, those who assault staff and people bent on antisocial sbould all beware of the newly geeked up rozzers. "The PDA is a robust addition to our crime fighting tool kit allowing us to better drill down into criminal activity and take appropriate action," he said.

It's taking off a fair bit already, with feedback being generally positive. Kelly White from the force said, "My PDA helps me better assess a situation when I have access to the information other officers have previously collected." And you can play pac man on it too. Maybe. µ