This has been our biggest year in terms of the positive impact on our citizens and the force, and we are incredibly proud of this.

We’ve achieved this through a focus on solving user problems, our Agility (with a big A!) and leveraging the power of our products like formation.

In addition, we’ve launched 32 new and improved public facing services in 2018.

Here are some of the highlights from the year:

Rise in online transactions – Our online transactions have increased by 43% over the previous year. Rising from 30,000 to 43,000 transactions.

Increase in the digital shift – By rapidly increasing our range of high-quality online services, accompanied by a complete overhaul of our Interactive Voice Response (IVR) call system to focus on user needs and encouraging online behaviour, we have seen a significant shift to our digital channels. This has resulted in us becoming one of the best performing forces in terms of keeping our 999 and 101 abandonment rates low.

Working closer together – Our digital team works closely with our call handling and front office staff to ensure a joined-up multi-channel approach, learning and adapting to citizen demands on a continual basis.

Capitalising on in-house expertise – Our in-house digital team and range of services give us the flexibility to adapt rapidly and seize opportunities when identified. Some new public services have even gone from conception to launch within a week.

Measurable impact – Our online services such as reporting shoplifting, uploading digital evidence and reporting of road-related incidents now account for more than 50% of all reports of these types of incidents in a relatively short space of time.

Continual positive feedback – Public feedback of online services remains very positive:

“Thank you for a pleasant easy to use experience. I have Asperger’s and this made things a lot easier for me” (Upload video and images form)

“One of the best online forms I have used” (Request a fingerprint appointment)

Looking forward to 2019

We plan to make 2019 even bigger by furthering our online service and provide new levels of automation. These plans will allow us to free up internal resources and provide a better public service.

Stay tuned to this blog for more developments this year.