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Alberta RCMP free up frontline officers by reducing administrative work

Nov 13, 2018 | 12:34 PM

ALBERTA – A pair of initiatives are in effect to improve the efficiency of Alberta RCMP, and ensure frontline officers spend more time patrolling than filling out reports.

The Police Reporting and Occurrence System (PROS) Data Centre – which is still in its pilot phase – allows officers to call in information to civilian staff who then input it, rather than having to drive back to the detachment and enter the data themselves.

It is estimated that PROS reduces data entry time for officers from about half-an-hour to just over three minutes, not including travel time. RCMP further estimate that based on the 868 files that have been entered so far under the pilot project, frontline officers have been saved about 375 hours of data entry time, again, without counting time spent travelling back to their detachment.

The other initiative, which has been up and running since February, is the Call Back Unit. Experienced RCMP members take non-emergency calls that are neither time sensitive nor pose a threat to the public, freeing up frontline officers from having to handle them. Should the caller still require assistance from a frontline officer, they can be transferred back.

Since the Call Back Unit was created, it has diverted and answered 3,853 calls that would have gone to frontline officers, saving approximately 9,390 hours.

“Our Call Management Initiatives showcases Alberta RCMP’s commitment to modernize in every area in order to place more officers where they belong,” said Alberta RCMP Acting Commanding Officer, John Ferguson in a media release. “Our members joined the RCMP to keep Canadians safe. With this initiative, they can focus on just that.”