The Birmingham Computer Project
| Author | A. G. Wanklin |
| Date | 01 October 1970 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X7004301014 |
| Published date | 01 October 1970 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
A. G. W
ANKLIN
Planning Department
Birmingham City Police
THE
BIRMINGHAM
~Ol\'IPUTER
PROJE~T
The use of computers in Britain in connection with police work is
not new; they have been utilised in connection with personnel,
wages, crime
and
accident statistics for some time, although on
economic grounds this has had to be done on local authority
computers at pre-arranged times, i.e. as
"off
line" operations.
The potential of a computer as a piece of police equipment to
which the police have continuous access, i.e. an
"on
line" facility, is
something which has yet to be tested although elsewhere and par-
ticularly in America the police computer in the large city has for
some time been the nucleus around which all the administration and
much of the operational function of the force revolves.
The Home OfficePolice Scientific Development Branch who have
been studying the application of modern computer technology to
police control and communications procedures have been looking
for an operational setting for such equipment to determine its value
in the planning and execution of uniform branch operations. Bir-
mingham was considered a suitable environment since it had intro-
duced in full Unit Beat Policing, has subsequently re-organised the
force to assimilate it and was about to build a new Information
Room.
Following a feasibility study within the Force by
Mr
T.P. Turner,
then a Principal Scientific Officer from the Research and Deve-
lopment Branch, and a visit by him to America to study the uses to
which computers are
put
by the many police forces equipped with
them, a number of firms in the electronics industry were approached,
told of the problems and invited to submit costed proposals for
suitable schemes. A number did so, in some instances combining to
form consortia to link computer expertise with telecommunications
experience.
The proposals were evaluated by a committee consisting of rep-
resentatives of the Home Office, the Ministry of Technology, the
Civil Service Department (formerly the Treasury)
and
the Birming-
ham Police, the contract being finally awarded to Messrs. Ferranti
Ltd., Electronics
and
Display Equipment Division. Their scheme
was based upon the use of their Argus '500' computer and upon
visual display units, all of which are to be supplied by their Wythen-
shawe Factory. Telecommunications equipment is to be provided by
Messrs. Pye Telecommunications Ltd. acting as sub-contractors to
Ferranti in the project.
330 October 1970
To continue reading
Request your trial