From: believer@telepath.com Subject: IP: Stranger than fiction.... Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1998 02:09:20 -0600 To: believer@telepath.com Source: London Times http://www.sunday-times.co.uk:80/news/pages/Times/frontpage.html?2182225 Computer bobbies to take over from PCs POLICE in Greater Manchester are to test plans to replace some police stations with unstaffed computer kiosks that resemble hole-in-the-wall bank machines. People anxious to report an emergency or speak to a policeman would use a touch screen to be put through by telephone, and eventually by video link, to the nearest control room. They would be able to ask the time or receive directions electronically, at the touch of the screen. Senior officers believe that the machines, known as customer interaction points or communications kiosks, will appear in every high street and will become as familiar as cash machines and the old blue police boxes. The hole-in- the- wall proposals - which will be tested in Salford as part of a plan to reduce the number of police stations - grew from a review of the Greater Manchester Police force's property as part of a budget crisis. Supporters of the plan insist that the need to cut costs is only a means to push through an inevitable and welcome technological change which more adequately reflects changing police methods. Stuart Render, the force spokesman, said that most people reported crime, from burglaries to emergencies, over the telephone, and increasingly by mobile phone. They rarely needed to go to a police station, except to present documents. The kiosks would release money for frontline officers instead of tying it up in property. The first machines could be in libraries, supermarkets or on the street, he said. "In the future in every high street there will probably be some kind of hole-in-the-wall police contact point where you will be able to make contact with a 24-hour control room or find out things about community safety and so on. That way technology gives us flexibility and accessibility to improve our level of service and keep officers on the front line rather than having them manning police stations." The pilot scheme will be discussed as part of the larger rationalisation at a meeting of the Police Authority on Friday. Chief Superintendent Chris Wells, Divisional Commander in Salford, said: "None of the existing police stations will close until replacement facilities have been installed. "The vast majority of people that access our service do not visit a police station, they use a telephone. We are looking to increase our effectiveness and these proposals together with new technology will take us in that direction." He said people would be able to see town centre maps and get basic directions from the kiosks, as well as information on crime prevention, details about area constables, missing persons, Crimestoppers and witness support. Senior officers acknowledge that their biggest problem will be persuading a sceptical public of the advantages. Barry Evans, the force's director of information technology, is aware of the need to "carry a myriad of people" along with him and that the machines must prove their worth. Karen Garrido, chairwoman of the Boothstown police and community consultative group, based in Salford, is opposed to the scheme. Boothstown police station is scheduled to be closed within 12 months. She said: "I am totally against the closure. The people should be asked what they want and I don't think they will want a little box or a hole in the wall instead." A spokesman for Age Concern, which has offices in Eccles, Salford, said: "We believe it would be quite daunting for an old person who does not have a telephone to leave their home and use one of these machines." Copyright 1998 Times Newspapers Ltd. ----------------------- NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit research and educational purposes only. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ----------------------- **************************************************** To subscribe or unsubscribe, email: majordomo@majordomo.pobox.com with the message: (un)subscribe ignition-point email@address or (un)subscribe ignition-point-digest email@address **************************************************** www.telepath.com/believer ****************************************************