* Enhancements to CIS in this version include, amongst many minor improvements, giving a user who has 'Read & Write' access to a case in CIS, the ability to add a minute to that case in 'Supervisory Functions' - even where the case has already been closed by the OC Case/OSSUC. This will automatically re-open the closed case and the 'Minute Sheet' will be sent to the addressee for follow-up action.

* An area entitled 'IN Log' has been created in CIS for users to input IN Log data from ECACCS. Details of the IN Log can be seen by supervisors in 'Supervisory Functions' by clicking the IN Log tab. The IN Log input is currently copied by 'cutting and pasting' from ECACCS into CIS by Report Room staff who at present also have to manually create new RNs on request from the RCCC. From August this year, ECACCS (and later CC3) will automatically create a new RN, transfer the incident heading, incident address and IN Log information to CIS.

* Several new reports will be available in the Reports section of 'Supervisory Functions' including the manpower, deployment and productivity reports and summaries which were previously only available in 'Duty Scheduler', the aim here being to reduce the number of programmes which a Supervisor must access in order to gain essential day-to-day management information.

* An automated Divisional UB sitrep report will be available in CIS v8.0. This report displays matters of interest, serious/major cases and incidents involving Police officers during the last 24 hours. At the same time the opportunity has been taken to provide, for the first time, consolidated UB Sitreps and Crime Brief/Crime Statistics at District and Regional level which are accessible for viewing and/or printing via 'Supervisory Functions'. This will result in speeding up and reducing the workload for officers at District and Regional Headquarters who are required to consolidate and print hardcopies of morning reports for Supervisors. This change also paves the way for CIS to provide the UB Divisional, Regional and HQ Sitreps now produced, with considerable manual input, by ECACCS. It is intended that to ensure the maximum performance from the new CC3 Command & Control system, it will not need to perform statistical and reporting functions when it goes on line in 2004, all of these tasks being automated and handled by CIS instead.

* The latest version of 'Duty Scheduler' contains several enhancements that will provide supervisors at all levels with information to facilitate their deployment of resources. The most significant enhancement is in the management of overtime. This replaces the current manual system of authorising and managing overtime and provides supervisory officers with reports automatically generated by the system. This saves many hours in compiling returns and allows officers to be deployed more productively. For added convenience, an officer can now access the 'Overtime Authorisation Form (OAF)' of the 'Duty Schedule' system and perform overtime authorisation functions through 'Supervisory Functions'. To reduce training needs and make the change to the automated system easier for officers, the electronic system has been designed to follow the existing paper-based one very closely. It is intended that DSOA will also be automated in the future using this system, with an electronic link to Treasury to avoid the need for paper forms to be completed and dispatched.

* Further enhancements to 'Duty Scheduler' in version 3.0 include extending the frozen duty period for duty lists from seven to 14 days, as a result of requests from users. This will mean that the number of times they have to request senior officers to update frozen data will be greatly diminished.

* Access control rights have also been greatly improved in 'Duty Scheduler'. The previously cumbersome 'drag and drop' set up has been replaced with a much more user-friendly system that is simple and straightforward to follow. Emphasis has been placed on granting access rights to more than one officer in a team and to more than one team for a particular officer. System administrators are also able to add different levels of access to selected officers.

During our visits to Formations MSB officers emphasise that suggestions and complaints from users are essential to the continued improvement and enhancement of Force IT systems. For this reason contact details are supplied to all and are also available from the MSB website on POINT (Under ISW). Feedback from all officers is needed if Force IT systems are to meet the requirements of officers on the Frontline and all are encouraged to contact us direct to ensure their views are taken into account in the development process.