APD Announces a £3 Million National Framework for Mobile Identification Units to assist Special Branch/Counter Terrorism Officers Strengthen the Protection of the United Kingdom’s Borders

APD Communications underlined its position as a global leader in mobile information, resource location/tracking and control room solutions by announcing a £3 million framework to equip Special Branch (SB) / Counter Terrorism (CT) Officers throughout the UK with APD’s cutting-edge Mobile Identification Units (MIUs). The move will improve the speed in which officers check passenger information at the border remaining more visible and contributing to the security of the UK’s borders.

The framework will provide SB/CT officers across the UK with handheld, highly sophisticated, self-contained portable units, allowing travel and identification documents to be scanned with the information checked against various databases. The information is then displayed on the unit’s screen in seconds, providing officers with access to ‘live time’ information whilst remaining mobile.

The £3 million Framework follows a successful year long trial by a number of forces in the UK overseen by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), Terrorism and Allied Matters (TAM) Police Liaison Team. Funding was secured via the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) under the Mobile Information Programme as part of a scheme to mobilise officers across the country.

The MIUs replace similar, but more bulky, technology that has been used by officers at the border since 2000. Previous units consisted of three separate elements, including a laptop and a passport reader, which had to be carried in a briefcase. The technology was used to great effect during the 2006 Football World Cup operation, assisting officers in their decision-making process leading to more than 100 arrests, one of which was for murder.

A senior officer within the ACPO (TAM) Police Liaison Team, said: “The trials were very positive. By being able to perform checks quickly, officers can be more productive in the field whilst ensuring that members of the public are not delayed unnecessarily. In fact the new unit will enable officers to speed up their interaction with members of the public and their movement through the border.”

DC Richard Evans, who headed up the trial, said: “The unit is an extremely effective tool for policing borders and major sporting events. The team has worked with APD for several years in order to mobilise data to improve policing practices. Feedback we have had from officers in the field during the trial process has been excellent, with the unit proving to be both user-friendly and reliable. The mobile nature of the unit, combined with the information we can check against, has already helped officers to make some significant arrests.”

Steve Denison, Managing Director of APD Communications, said, “We believe that the agreement with ACPO (TAM) will help revolutionise how borders and sporting events are policed. The unit is the perfect tool for improving accuracy and the speed that critical data is collected. The Mobile ID Unit is the latest innovative addition to the APD product portfolio. Until now, officers have had to rely on a combination of technologies to complete a document check. We are already in talks with ACPO (TAM) to introduce additional functionality such as biometrics, fingerprint scanning and digital camera technology to help further improve the protection their officers provide the public.”

Additional information on the Mobile ID Unit:

APD’s Mobile ID Unit is a self-contained, portable travel document scanner, smart card reader and fingerprint (Not currently enabled) reader which provides secure, integrated communications. It combines APD’s POLARIS software together with the handheld Datastrip DSVII-PA, using internal rechargeable batteries with an integrated GRPS or TETRA (Airwave) modem. The device can be fitted with a fingerprint reader and a RFID scanner for e-passports. To prevent mis-scans the device has a motorised roller that pulls items such as passports through the scanning device.