DN 01-06-12/2022 – Digital Interview Recording

DN 01-06-06/2022      Date 06.12.22

Digital Interview Recording

The Commissioner has decided to approve investment to fund the replacement of the Digital Interview Recording (DIR) Equipment for North Yorkshire Police, and to future-proof the service by digitising the interview recording process to increase operational efficiency.

Background

North Yorkshire Police currently uses DIR equipment in custody and voluntary attendance rooms to undertake recorded suspect interviews. The equipment currently in use is now 10 years old and requires replacement to ensure ongoing reliability. Support and maintenance arrangements are also required for these replacement devices, as well at the Visual Recording Interview (VRI) equipment used by the force for victim and witness interviews, to ensure that they are regularly serviced and remain in good working order.

In addition, integration software is required aligned to the introduction of digital evidence management software, to enable the automatic storage and upload of digital interview recordings to increase the operational efficiency of the interview recording process.

Decision Record

The Commissioner has decided to invest in the replacement of DIR equipment and the digitisation of the interview recording process.

Zoë Metcalfe

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire

Statutory Officer Advice

Legal, Management and Equality Implications

The Commissioner’s Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer, having read this report and having considered such information as has been provided at the time of being asked to express this view, is satisfied that this report does not ask the Commissioner to make a decision which would (or would be likely to) give rise to a contravention of the law.

Simon Dennis

Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer

Financial and Commercial

The Commissioner’s Chief Finance Officer and S151 Officer has advised that the financial implications for this decision, which were set out within the business case, are included within the medium term financial plan and therefore affordable to the PFCC. The final costs are subject to procurement and therefore not included within this decision notice.

Michael Porter

Chief Finance Officer