Police search for portable forensic technology

The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) has put out a call for private sector partners to help develop technology to identify quickly whether forensic evidence contains human DNA. It plans to provide more details at a supplier event on 15 December at its crime scene investigation training centre in Harperley Hall, Durham. The technology, which the NPIA aims to have operational by spring of next year, will enable forces to decide whether to send a sample to an approved forensic laboratory to produce a DNA profile that can be searched against the National DNA Database. This could help police forces save up to £3m a year, according to the NPIA. Simon Bramble, head of police science and forensics at the organisation, said: "One of the most important aspects of any crime scene investigation is to determine whether human DNA is present in forensic evidence collected at crime scenes so that it can then be searched against the National DNA Database if needed. This can provide a crucial lead in a crime investigation. "The challenge for would-be suppliers will be to produce easy to use, portable technology that can produce results in less than an hour." It has also come to light that the setting up of a new police ICT agency, originally due to be in place by next spring, has fallen behind schedule. The monthly implementation update of the Home Office's structural reform programme says that, while the initial scoping work has been completed, the home secretary is still considering responses to the consultation on the Review of Police Leadership and Training and assessing which functions will be consistent with the core crime fighting purpose of the National Crime Agency. This article is published by Guardian Professional. For weekly updates of news, debate and best practice on public sector IT, join the Government Computing Network here.