Police Scotland IT infrastructure in urgent need of overhaul

The single force needs more than £200 million to carry out the modernisations — which have been delayed for years.

Criminal gangs are adding pressure to the current IT system by investing in their own computer systems.

The £46m i6 project was shelved in 2016 after a number of bugs were discovered.

It was intended to unify the 100 existing systems which belonged to Scotland’s legacy forces.

In a report to be discussed by the Scottish Police Authority board tomorrow, David Page, states: “Without a fundamental strategic investment in technology our current capability will continue to fall short in giving our officers and staff the tools they need to do the job to best serve our communities.

“In addition to the increasing pressure on our officers (operating inefficient processes with out of date or no technology) they will be facing the increasingly sophisticated threat, harm and risk from criminals who are investing heavily and who will be utilising technology to its fullest.”

A study by Ernst & Young, which came at a cost of £600,000, has identified that Police Scotland needs about £206m in investment from the Scottish government.

Daniel Johnson MSP, Scottish Labour’s justice spokesman, said: “The creation of Police Scotland should have been about giving our officers the best possible tools, but five years on and it is clear we are playing catch-up on technology.

“SNP ministers must urgently reassure the public that upgrades to computer systems will be properly funded and not have a further negative impact on frontline policing.”

Scottish Conservative Shadow Justice Secretary Liam Kerr said: “This is yet another example of the SNP government failing to properly manage the IT needs of devolved areas. Those failings are now set to land the taxpayer with a bill in excess of £200m.

“And if previous IT projects under the watch of the SNP are anything to go by, this figure will merely be the tip of the iceberg.”

A Scottish government spokesman said: “Ministers are committed to investing in further transformation of the service, including through real terms protection of the police resource budget in every year of this parliament. In addition, we are providing a further £31m of dedicated reform funding this year and have ensured that the service can retain the £25m previously paid to the UK Treasury in VAT each year.”