Following the success of phase one, which saw forces across England and Wales equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, FCN have been commissioned to deliver the procurement of phase two.

The project is part of the Home Office’s Rape Review Response Project (RRRP) which is intended to improve the investigation of rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO).

Phase one delivered specially designed equipment to forces, including:

  • Ruggedised laptops – fully tested and ready to use, configured to allow officers to quickly and sensitively examine mobile phones wherever they need to
  • Kiosks – configured and ready to go, these fixed-site computers allow officers to examine mobile phones with targeted and specific searches to speedup processes and limit intrusion.
  • The new kit is underpinned by supporting activities for forces, including:
  • Quality assurance meaning tools and kit are centrally validated
  • Implementation, co-ordination and management support

Phase two will focus on delivering similar equipment to forces who were unsuccessful in the initial round of applications and will cost around £3.5m.

The equipment is planned to be delivered to forces by the end of March 2023. However, this will be subject to market availability and long-lead in times for the provision of the specialised equipment.

The project will be overseen by the Police Digital Service (PDS).

Dave Edwards, PDS Head of Commercial said:

“We’re delighted to be able to bring FCN into phase 2. This is an important project that will help even more forces to improve the way they tackle these offences. Working collaboratively, we will ensure the best possible outcome for all our stakeholders.’’

Paul Greaves, FCN Senior Commercial Manager said:

“We’re very proud of the work we did on phase one. It demonstrates the value of central organisations like FCN and PDS in delivering projects on behalf of forces across England and Wales.

There will be some significant challenges compared to phase one. High levels of inflation, economic instability and disruption to global supply chains are affecting lead times and unit prices are increasing. We’re well aware of these issues and will be doing everything we can to make sure the equipment is delivered on time and in budget.”

Read more about phase one of the RRRP/RASSO project here: