Avon and Somerset Police is spending nearly £2 million to get officers away from repetitive admin tasks and back out on the beat.
The force is investing in new technology to automate more services in a bid to free up valuable time and cut the risk of human error.
The move comes a year after it spent £12 million on laptops and smartphones so officers can file reports within the community rather than back at the station, cutting the time they spend travelling and boosting their public presence.
A force spokesman said officers use a complex set of systems and processes. Many are integrated but sometimes data needs to be re-entered from one system to another, taking up valuable time.
A contract notice said there is “significant potential to automate a large number of processes”, with benefits including potential cost savings, greater levels of consistency, reduction of human error and better quality data.
The £1.9 million investment signed off by police and crime commissioner Sue Mountstevens will fund the creation of a process automation centre of excellence.
Stephen Sumner, Local Democracy Reporter
