Police officers in Ayrshire will now be more visible within the communities they serve thanks to new technology.
Locality, Response and Road Policing officers are being supplied with mobile devices which enable officers to spend more time in their communities dealing with incidents, engaging with members of the public, supporting victims and focusing on crime prevention.
Officers can also type statements directly on to the device through a digital notebook function which obtains an electronic signature from victims and witnesses.
Chief Superintendent Mark Hargreaves, Divisional Commander for Ayrshire, said “The introduction of Mobile Working will have a positive impact on the remote, rural and urban communities that we serve.
“Officers will be able to increase their visibility, engagement and accessibility to members of the public. Mobile Working also brings increased efficiency as the amount of times officers have to return to their offices will be greatly reduced.
“You may notice something different about your local police officers’ uniform. They will now be in possession of mobile devices which may be secured to their body armour. Members of the public may see officers working from their devices in a public place or at an incident - this is part of their operational duties and means they can be more visible within the communities they serve."
Last year, Police Scotland produced a business case for a major investment in digital, data and ICT over 10 years to modernise the service. The proposed investment would also generate savings and public service improvements for the wider criminal justice system.