The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) has awarded Logica, a leading IT and business services company, a £75.6 million contract over seven years to design, build and operate the Police National Database (PND).

The PND is a highly secure information sharing system that will enable the Police Service in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and other government organisations to electronically share local intelligence and operational information nationally.

The PND will be developed as part of the IMPACT Programme, which was established in response to the Bichard Inquiry (printed in 2004) and its recommendation for the creation of intelligence sharing systems as ‘a national priority’. The initial phase, scheduled to be rolled out in 2010, will see Logica bring together data from five operational areas of policing into one central system. It will provide forces with immediate access to up-to-date information from across the Service, overcoming artificial geographical and jurisdictional boundaries. Ultimately the PND will assist forces to improve their operational effectiveness.

The first phase will focus on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, countering terrorism and assisting major crime investigations.

Logica’s partners in the development of the PND include Northgate Information Solutions (NIS) and SunGard Public Sector (SPS) working with Logica on the application development and business change services aspect. Cable and Wireless (C&W) will provide the hosting and communications services for the overall solution.

Chief Constable Peter Neyroud, Chief Executive of the NPIA commented, “This is a significant milestone for the NPIA, for policing and, ultimately, for the public. Currently, police forces are unable to search or access intelligence or other information that is held on another force’s local systems. The Police National Database will enable this by making available nationally copies of locally held information on suspects and criminals; making the public safer by improving the ability of the Police Service to share operational information and helping the police to stay one step ahead of the criminal population.“