PCD 1698 Smart Equipment Lockers

This paper seeks approval to purchase and rollout 20 new smart equipment lockers as well as the expansion of the existing 25 Digital, Data and Technoloy (DDaT) smart lockers for distribution across the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) estate.  

The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime is recommended to:   

1. Approve the purchase and rollout of 20 new smart equipment lockers and the expansion of the existing 25 DDaT smart equipment lockers for distribution across the MPS estate. The project will be funded through the New Met for London (NMfL) capital programme at, a total cost of £1.282m in 2024/25.  

PART I - NON-CONFIDENTIAL FACTS AND ADVICE TO THE DMPC 

1. Introduction and background. 

1. The MPS has undergone several transformative changes such as the Turnaround Plan and more recently NMfL. The changes highlighted the need to overhaul operational strategies, focusing on front line policing effectiveness and servicing communities more efficiently. This required re-evaluation of existing systems, services and processes to align with MPS goals and objectives to enable the MPS to fix its foundations. 

2. DDaT carried out a successful trial of 25 Tech lockers & 5 trail Operational Support Services (OSS) smart locker sites to maximise the use of lockers.  45 locations were identified as 24/7 sites with high footfall for officers and operational need including Emergency Response Policing Teams (ERPT’s), traffic garages and HQ buildings. 

3. The preferred options are within OSS for ease of audit and placing items within the lockers, or in communal areas for ease of access and accessibility, although further work to identify suitable locations for 20 additional lockers has been agreed with Property Services and captured within project costs. 

  Issues for consideration.  

1. The proposal seeks approval to purchase and roll out 20 new smart lockers and expansion of the existing 25 DDaT lockers for distribution across the estate, which are accessible 24/7 to support the workforce with the equipment and tools needed to reduce crime and rebuild trust within communities. This will be driven by:  

• Improved Officer Deployment. 

• Supporting the wider operational teams. 

• Criminal Exhibits security.  

• Estates Strategy and Space 

• Supporting Uniform Next Gen. 

• MPS Moving forward with better technology. 

2. The implementation and expansion of smart equipment lockers across the estate, which are accessible 24/7 will primarily keep officers and staff operational and deployable with the right kit and equipment. This will enable business groups to improve service delivery across the MPS.   

3.  The project will enable business groups to improve service delivery across the MPS by keeping officers and staff operational and deployable with the right kit and equipment. The project has also identified efficiencies and savings, with long term potential to rollout more lockers to make the best use of technology and the workforce. 

4. MPS assure that where lockers are utilised for collection of exhibits, they will be collocated in official transit store locations which are covered by CCTV to provide confidence and assurance in the evidential chain. 

5. There have been no reported security incidents relating to the 25 DDaT lockers currently in use. Therefore, the lockers are deemed to have appropriate security for delivering uniform, radios and laptops and PPE within the MPS environs. 

6. The project supports the commissioners New Met for London Plan to improve accessibility of services, enhanced product offerings out of hours, and to equip front line officers with the kit and assets. This will ensure officers are readily deployable at short notice to keep London safe. 

3. Financial and Commercial Comments.  

1. The project will be funded through NMfL capital programme at a total cost of £1.282m in 2024/25. Market engagement was conducted, and the costs reflect a 40% discount on hardware costs which the MPS is eligible for following previous purchases. 

2. Ongoing revenue support costs of £0.039m in 2024/25 & 2025/26 and £0.090m annually thereafter will be funded by efficiency savings generated by the investment and the release of (25x Band E FTE) staff posts a total of £1.249m per year. Remaining savings will be released. 

4. Legal Comments. 

1. The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (“MOPAC”) is a contracting authority as defined in the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (“the Regulations”). All awards of public contracts for goods and/or services valued at £213,477 or above shall be procured in accordance with the Regulations.  

2. Paragraph 4.8 of the MOPAC Scheme of Delegation and Consent provides that the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (DMPC) has delegated authority to approve all business cases for revenue or capital expenditure with an original value of £500,000 or above and;  

• All requests to go out to tender for contracts of £500,000 or above, or where there is a particular public interest (paragraph 4.13);  

• All unforeseen variations and extensions to contracts with an original value of £500,000 or above, when the variation or extension is greater than 10% of the original value and/or is for a period of more than 12 months (paragraph 4.13)  

3. Paragraph 7.23 of the Scheme provides that the Director of Commercial Services has consent for the approval of the award of all contracts, except for those called in through the agreed call in procedure. 

4. Regulation 72 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 permits MOPAC to modify a contract in limited circumstances. Specifically, regulation 72(1) (b) provides MOPAC may modify a contract where:  

• It is not possible to change contractor due to technical or economic reasons; and  

• To change contractor would cause MOPAC to suffer significant inconvenience or substantial costs duplication. 

5. Provided the value of the modification does not exceed 50% of the value of the original contract. This report confirms it is not possible to change contractor for economic reasons and to change would result in costs duplication to the MOPAC.  On the basis those factual assertions are correct and meet the criteria for the above regulation 72 will be met. 

6. Regulation 72(3) provides the MOPAC shall publish a modification notice where a contract is modified in accordance with regulation 72(1) (b) or (1)(c). 

5. GDPR and Data Privacy  

1. The MPS is subject to the requirements and conditions placed on it as a 'State' body to comply with the European Convention of Human Rights and the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018. Both legislative requirements place an obligation on the MPS to process personal data fairly and lawfully in order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of individuals. 

2. Under Article 35 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Section 57 of the DPA 2018, Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA) become mandatory for organisations with technologies and processes that are likely to result in a high risk to the rights of the data subjects. 

3. MOPAC will adhere to the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and ensure that any organisations who are commissioned to do work with or on behalf of MOPAC are fully compliant with the policy and understand their GDPR responsibilities.   

4. A DPIA has been completed for the current contract as part of the DDaT tech project and the 5 rented lockers to ensure that the MPS complies with the requirements of GDPR, and appropriate measures have been taken to ensure compliance. The Information Assurance and Information Rights units within MPS will be consulted at all stages to ensure the project meets its compliance requirements 

6. Equality Comments  

1. MOPAC is required to comply with the public sector equality duty set out in section 149(1) of the Equality Act 2010. This requires MOPAC to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations by reference to people with protected characteristics. The protected characteristics are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. 

2. The MPS assure that an equality screening exercise was completed where it was identified that there was no impact to any of the protected characteristic groups negating the completion of a full EIA at this time. 

7. Background/supporting papers 

1. MPS Paper Smart Equipment Lockers. 

2. MPS BJP Smart Equipment Lockers.