An agile transformation
02
VICTORIA POLICE : becoming more agile through digital transformation WRITTEN BY
SOPHIE CHAPMAN PRODUCED BY
MIKE SADR
03
w w w.po l i c e .vi c. g ov. a u
VICTORIA POLICE
Victoria Police are working with partners to replace legacy systems and improve agility for officers in the field. Stephen Fontana, the organisation’s CIO, tells us about the journey…
V 04
ictoria Police was established to serve the Victorian community, and any developments to the
organisation will always be centred around that purpose. “The key functions we perform are preserving the peace, protecting life and property, preventing the commission of offences, detecting and apprehending offenders and helping those in need of assistance. We employ over 20,000 staff and provide 24/7 services to the community,” says Stephen Fontana, Assistant Commissioner and Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Victoria Police. Fontana has worked for Victoria Police for the past 44 years. Despite his primary background being centred around operational policing, just over 12 months ago Fontana took the role of CIO in order to oversee the organisation’s modernisation strategy. “As
05
“ As a result of the Blue Paper and a subsequent report, a capability plan was put together to map out how we could achieve our vision� Stephen Fontana, Assistant Commissioner and Chief Information Officer, Victoria Police w w w.po l i c e .vi c. g ov. a u
VICTORIA POLICE
“ When I joined Victoria Police, we had type– writers with carbon paper” Stephen Fontana, Assistant Commissioner and Chief Information Officer, Victoria Police
CIO, I’m in charge of the information systems and security command. Even though I don’t have a technical background, the Chief Commissioner asked me to take on the role to manage the continued modernisation of Victoria Police. I’ve learned a lot as I’m going along, but I’ve got a really good team to support me and advise me as we move forward,” notes Fontana. The organisation is currently undergoing a large-scale modernisation programme that will see updates made
06
to many legacy systems and innovations added to the force to improve efficiencies. “When I joined Victoria Police, we had typewriters with carbon paper – we didn’t have a mainframe computer at that time. It has since changed a lot, and we have even seen significant transformation since I’ve taken my latest role. Over this period, we have brought together three separate work areas and merged them into one large command – we put all units working in information technology and communications under one umbrella,” explains Fontana. “We’re still transitioning as we continue to roll out services to Victoria Police. We’re
CLICK TO WATCH : ‘TESLA POLICE CAR – STATE HIGHWAY PATROL’
currently operating on a plan, build, run,
was put together to map out how we
governance structure, but are continu-
could achieve our vision. The govern-
ing evolve to a model that is much more
ment has invested quite significantly in
focussed on improved service delivery
Victoria Police over the past few years
across the organisation.”
to enable this goal,” reveals Fontana.
As Victoria Police undergoes its
According to the CIO, more than 3,000
digital transformation journey, the team
new members of staff will be hired over
looks towards the Blue Paper (A Vision
the next three years, including police
for Victoria Police in 2025) – a strategy
and protective services officers and
established by the former Chief Com-
other specialists. The money invested
missioner. The plan outlines initiatives
into the force is also being spent on
until 2025, creating a modern vision for
new equipment, vehicles and technol-
the force. “As a result of that paper and
ogy. “Hence, that’s why we brought all
a subsequent report, a capability plan
these different units together under w w w.po l i c e .vi c. g ov. a u
07
Spend less time investigating crime and more time preventing it
To learn more, click here
Giving investigators and intelligence practitioners the information they need, at the time they need it, to deter threats, combat crime and protect national security. SAS provides Intelligence Practitioners and Investigators with an operational intelligent management solution that provides the information they need, to deter threats and combat crime in an increasingly complex environment. SAS® intelligence and investigations Management provides a structured environment for collecting, managing, and analysing intelligence data. It provides full search capabilities and processes large volumes of complex structured or unstructured data in a variety of formats from disparate internal and external sources – quickly, accurately and reliably. Entity analytics deliver powerful and automated
entity extraction and resolution capabilities such as persons of interest. Alert and intelligent case management provides a comprehensive decision management function that uncovers events of interests and triggers alerts through advanced analytics and AI to help support decisioning at the front line. Built on SAS VIYA and SAS Visual Investigator, SAS Intelligence and Investigation Management delivers a solution that can scale and be configured to address both the current and future needs of policing. Find out more: Download our complimentary white paper ‘Managing the Intelligence Life Cycle’
VICTORIA POLICE
10
one command, so we could better co-
management and technical expertise.
ordinate and manage these projects,”
As we continue to develop systems,
he notes.
where we might lack the capabilities,
As part of the programme, Victoria
they can bring resources in very quick-
Police selected PwC as a strategic
ly. They’re also helping us build our
partner to enable change across the
own internal capability so that once
organisation. “PwC has been working
we finalise this programme of work,
with us for a number of years now on
we’ll have a capability to continue on,”
this massive reform project. They’re
Fontana says.
providing a whole range of skillsets
With more than 350 applications and
in terms of change management,
numerous legacy systems, becoming
programme management, project
more agile and mobile has been a large
E XE CU T I VE PRO FI LE
Stephen Fontana, Assistant Commissioner Victoria Police Stephen Fontana has been a member of Victoria Police since 1975 and has spent the majority of his career as a criminal investigator; working at busy metropolitan Criminal Investigation Units, in the Crime Squads and on a number of high profile task force investigations. He also spent a number of years working at the Ethical Standards Department leading investigations into complaints against police and police corruption. Stephen was promoted to the rank of Assistant Commissioner in charge of the State Emergencies and Security Department in early 2008. In June 2011, he took charge of the North West Metropolitan Region which delivers frontline police services for the largest region in the state (1.71 million Victorians living in 14 local government areas). Stephen commenced as the Assistant Commissioner Crime Command on 1 July 2012. In this he managed the portfolios of Specialist Support, Serious Crime (including Homicide and Sex Crimes), Finance & Cybercrime, the State Anti-Gangs Division and Organised Crime across the state. On 1 May 2018 Stephen commenced his current appointment of Chief Information Officer for Victoria Police and in a dualrole also leads the Information, Systems and Security Command (ISSC). In Stephen’s current role he is responsible for the governance, strategic direction and management of Victoria Police information technology and communications systems and applications, and for the overall management and strategic direction of enterprise information management and protective security. As CIO, Stephen is a member of the Victoria Police Executive Command. w w w.po l i c e .vi c. g ov. a u
11
Connecting to the community, together.
Helping Victoria Police improve community and police safety with connective technology that’s as reliable as it is responsive, ensuring police operations are as productive as they are prevention-focused. This is how we leverage technology-enabled change, information-led intelligence and community-connected channels to improve the lives of all Victorians – with the multiplying power of communication and compassion.
At PwC, we call this The Together Effect.
The Together Effect Š 2019 PricewaterhouseCoopers. All rights reserved.
task – police officers in the field were having to come back to stations to correspond and complete paper work. More than $500mn has been invested over a four-year period to free up officers’ time. These initiatives fall under what the force calls its Blue Connect programme. “It’s really about enhancing the ability of officers to stay in the field, increasing visibility, and having access to real-time information for improved decision making,” Fontana says. The investment has been channelled to fund over 9,000 mobile devices to be used across the state, such as Apple
“ It’s really about enhancing the ability of officers to stay in the field, increasing visibility, and having access to real-time information for improved decision making” Stephen Fontana, Assistant Commissioner and Chief Information Officer, Victoria Police
iPhones and iPads, with all the devices having been installed with applications
rolled out 4,000 body cameras across
to aid the workers in the field, such as
the state, with the target of reaching
identity checks connected to the na-
6,000 by the end of the financial
tional systems and computer-aided
year and 10,800 by the end of the cal-
dispatch. “With the iPads members can
endar year. “In order to introduce the
receive call-taking and dispatches in
cameras – and even with the mobile
the field. It’s the first time we’ve ever
technology through our life cycle man-
had mapping capability, where mem-
agement program – we’re working
bers can see where units are located
with BlueConnect to upgrade the
state wide in the maps. It’s fantastic for
infrastructure at our stations, making
our members there,” he continues.
them suitable for Wi-Fi connectivity,”
The force has also invested in bodyworn cameras as part of its technology focused initiative. Victoria Police has
Fontana remarks. Motorola is a key partner for Victoria Police, providing mobile technology w w w.po l i c e .vi c. g ov. a u
13
We inspire change. Kinetic IT is a leading Australian technology services provider with a focus on building authentic relationships with our customers, crew and communities. We deliver outcome-focused solutions across Australia’s corporate, resources and government sectors, including to Victoria Police.
solutions for the force. In collaboration with Gridstone, Motorola has enabled the organisation to enhance its fleet’s mobility by working in conjunction with project teams to integrate connectivity. The company has supported Victoria Police’s radio network across the state, metropolitan and rural areas. Fontana highlights the upgrades to the rural radio communications, which have recently been encrypted and digitised. The integration of Victoria Police sys-
“ We are delivering major pieces of work, and we’re delivering them on time and within budget” Stephen Fontana, Assistant Commissioner and Chief Information Officer, Victoria Police
tems, both internally and with external partners, is enabled with the help of
alongside 32 police officers at the
the California-based software com-
contact centre. With this new initiative,
pany, TIBCO. As a contracted partner,
citizens of Victoria are able to contact
it provides the enterprise service bus
the police without using the urgent
that enables the interconnection of
and non-urgent numbers. The project
Victoria Police systems and data.
is currently in the stage of a soft launch,
Victoria Police’s recent introduction
with the contact centre commencing
of the Police Assistance Line and On-
its operations in February and pro-
line Reporting provides two additional
gressively rolling-out for State-wide
channels for the community to contact
coverage by July 2019.
police to report non-urgent crimes
“Other programs we’re introducing
and events. Through the work of Serco
with this uplift include the intelligence
Citizen Services, operating on a Sales-
management solution which SAS has
force platform, the company has
enabled,” Fontana reveals. “SAS has
established a call centre and introduced
developed a massive search engine
online reporting to the state. The firm
for us. It has opened up the floodgates
has hired over 200 staff, who work
in terms of access to information for w w w.po l i c e .vi c. g ov. a u
15
VICTORIA POLICE
17 intelligence practitioners and investi-
Victoria Police as a managed service
gators. We’re continuing with the
provider. “They’ve been a key partner
development of that and looking to
in all our modernisation project pro-
eventually replace our investigation
grams with life cycle management,
management system. SAS has been
along with BlueConnect,” says
a key partner with us in that particular
Fontana. The organisation’s life cycle
process.” At this stage, Victoria Police
management programme has dual
has around 10 different databases that
goals, including maintaining the
have been connected to the search en-
Police’s fit-for-purpose capability of its
gine, along with its intelligence database
system, such as managing ongoing
and Law Enforcement Assistance Pro-
obsolescence. The other purpose is
gramme (LEAP). The organisation aims
ensuring that the uplift of capabilities
to have another 14 separate databases
required by our strategic program are
linked by the end of this financial year.
being addressed. “We signed the con-
In addition, Kinetic IT works with
tract with Kinetic many years ago, prior w w w.po l i c e .vi c. g ov. a u
VICTORIA POLICE
18
to our investment from the government, so they’ve been on the journey with us all the way – from what was really just an organisation that just did the basics to keep the system running, to a massive development program. Our environment has really changed since they’ve come on board. They’re continuing to work and evolve with us,” he adds. As the force continues on its digital transformation journey to achieve more agile operations, it is important to acknowledge how far it has come. “We wouldn’t have been able to get where we are at the moment without our partners. We’ve built a really good capability, but they’ve really helped us in terms of developing that skill set and technical knowledge. It’s always a challenge when you’re going through such a massive reform programme, but we’ve been really fortunate. We are delivering major pieces of work, and we’re delivering them on time and within budget, which is fantastic. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without that support,” says Fontana.
w w w.po l i c e .vi c. g ov. a u
19
Victoria Police 637 Flinders Street Melbourne Victoria 3008 Australia www.police.vic.gov.au