New Zealand Law Enforcement To Be Equipped With iPhones And iPads

New Zealand law enforcement is going Apple, with the government investing over $160 million over the next decade to equip its police officers with iPhones and iPads. This is the by-product of an 11 month pilot project, and will involve a three month initial push to 6,086 officers that equips them with the devices. This will help save time and reduce workload for on-duty officers.

This move comes as part of the nation's Better Public Services program, which is also putting 600 more officers into the field and increasing the number of on-foot patrol by 70-percent, an effort to increase safety and reduce crime. By equipping the officers with iPhones and iPads, the government expects to see an average time savings of half an hour per officer/shift, as well as an extra 520,000 frontline hours.

This time savings will come in part by the ability to access needed data on-the-go, rather than postponing it until the officer is at the appropriate location to access it, also preventing trips to the station that could otherwise be avoided with mobile access to information. The devices will be serviced by Vodafone under a partnership with the provider, although law enforcement agencies will continue to use Gen-i as its carrier for administration and management personnel.

Says New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key: "Using mobile technology means officers will be able to check offenders' details (like photographs and bail conditions) where and when they need to, rather than having to drive to a station to access information or use the police radio. This means more time to focus on stopping crime and protecting communities, and less time each day on administration duties at their desks."

[via ZDNet]