A significant problem with the ControlWorks software utilized by the police for monitoring emergency calls caused a delay in officers receiving crucial information during a rapidly evolving investigation, as reported by Computer Weekly.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) utilizes ControlWorks as part of its command and control system. This software is primarily used for managing, logging, and categorizing calls received by the emergency services from the public.
Reports indicate that a major issue with ControlWorks in 2020 resulted in information not being relayed to an inquiry team in a timely manner during a fast-moving investigation until the following day.
A ControlWorks operator from the PSNI informed frontline officers that alerts related to the investigation on the system could potentially be lost or delayed.
Subsequently, a senior officer involved in the case confirmed that a crucial tip-off in the rapidly progressing police inquiry was delayed due to an issue with ControlWorks.
The PSNI assured Computer Weekly that there had been no incidents with ControlWorks resulting in data loss, and any delays in police response time due to issues would be minimal.
It is understood that the PSNI keeps records of incidents with ControlWorks and refers any serious incidents to its supplier for investigation.
ControlWorks aims to improve response times
The ControlWorks suite includes computer-aided dispatch and customer relationship management capabilities designed to enhance response times by expediting decision-making for call handlers.
The PSNI announced its adoption of Capita Communications and Control Solutions’ ControlWorks software in 2018, replacing the outdated Capita Atlas Command and Control System that had reached the end of its life after 20 years.
ControlWorks was implemented across the PSNI’s three regional contact management centers starting February 2018. The initial contract was for seven years with options for extension up to a decade, with the current renewal date set for September 30, 2028.
Capita introduced ControlWorks in 2013, catering to senior commanders and call handlers, emphasizing auditable logs for increased accountability and resilience.
Following significant investment in the software, Capita sold its Secure Solutions and Services business, including ControlWorks and other emergency services software, to NEC Software Solutions UK for £62m. The sale was finalized in 2023 after a thorough review by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
ControlWorks’ use by police
ControlWorks is utilized by several police forces in the UK, including Greater Manchester, West Midlands, Derbyshire, South Wales, the British Transport Police, and the Ministry of Defence Police.
An independent review in 2020 highlighted significant issues with Greater Manchester Police’s Capita-supplied iOPS IT system, which aimed to integrate ControlWorks with Capita’s PoliceWorks record management software used by police officers for day-to-day investigations and intelligence records.
The review revealed challenges where searches on ControlWorks and PoliceWorks sometimes provided inconsistent or incorrect risk information, even after staff training.
Despite plans to replace PoliceWorks by Greater Manchester Police, ControlWorks continues to be used by the force.
How ControlWorks errors are categorized
According to freedom of information requests to West Midlands Police, incidents in ControlWorks are classified based on their severity level.
Critical incidents impacting force-wide availability are categorized as P1 and must be rectified within eight hours by the force’s IT suppliers.
Force-wide service degradation is labeled as P2 and requires resolution within six hours.
Less severe incidents fall under P3, necessitating resolution within 24 hours by the force’s supplier, while P4 incidents do not demand immediate remediation.
PSNI: No major disruption
The PSNI affirmed that there had been no significant disruption to ControlWorks.
The spokesperson stated, “Police can confirm that, to date, there has been no instance of major disruption leading to data loss due to significant resilience in the application, servers, and infrastructure.”
In case of a fault with ControlWorks, trained colleagues internally handle it with built-in resilience to ensure minimal delay in police response time.
The Northern Ireland Policing Board, overseeing the PSNI, mentioned no reports of ControlWorks errors from the PSNI.
If a major system disruption or data loss occurred, the board expects to be notified.
The issue with ControlWorks has not been referenced in the PSNI’s annual reports.
NEC, the new owner of ControlWorks, stated no awareness of major issues post-acquisition in 2023, emphasizing close collaboration with police forces for reliability and security.
Capita, the original supplier of ControlWorks to the PSNI, refrained from commenting due to selling the business years ago.
