Police trial electronic notebooks

Traditional notebooks used by police officers are being replaced with electronic pads in an attempt to save time and cut down on paperwork.

Durham Police has set aside £160,000 to spend on the new mobile computers for its officers in Darlington.

Officers will be able to take down witness statements and accident reports on the hi-tech pads, which will then be downloaded onto a computer.

Initially, 12 officers will use the new gadgets during the trial.

If successful, a total of 140 officers in the town will also be issued with the pads.

The devices will also allow officers on the street to run identification checks and look up "mug shots" through the force's local intelligence system, known as Memex.

The force's radio network manager Steve Wright, who will be overseeing the trial, said: "The high-tech notebooks will keep officers out on the streets for longer by cutting down on the need to go back to the police station to carry out routine checks."

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