Control rooms

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FOI/25/8746

Version Date: 05/11/2025

The ICT Department and Call Resolution Centre have provided the following information: 

Command and Control
1 Please can you tell me the number of control rooms you have within the constabulary?

Two 

2 Please can you tell me the maximum number of call takers you have working at any one time

On any normal day with just one shift and no overlap you could expect about 35 staff. 

3 Please can you tell me the maximum number of dispatchers you have working at any one time

We would generally have no more than 25 dispatchers on each shift. Our average number is between 17-20 dispatchers per shift. 

4 Are the role of call taker and dispatcher totally separate or are some staff trained in both?

They are different. Staff are employed for one or the other and have different role profiles. Some staff do hold the skill to do both roles but that is the exception. 

5 I believe that Smart Storm is the IT system you use to record calls and dispatch units, please can you conform this?

Yes 

6 How long have you had Storm for?

The Force has used the Storm MA system since 2013, moving to SmartStorm in 2025

7 Are you on a fixed term contract for Storm and if so how long does that contact have left to run?

3 years until December 2027 

8 Do you have any intentions in replacing it or considering other options within the next 5 years?

No current plans 

9 What is the current annual budget for the Storm system?

£169,215 per annum 

Operational Policing
1 What Crime recording system do you currently use?

Niche 

2 What is the cost of the crime recording system annually?

£237,212 

3 Do you have any specific software to assist in the operational planning and execution of large scale operational events such as football matches, protests and Glastonbury Festival.

No 

4 If the answer to the3 is yes please can you tell me what it is called and the annual budget to use it?

Not applicable