Press releases

Aug 26, 2009

Steria, the European IT-enabled business services company, today announces it has signed a 10-year, circa €51 million deal (£45 million contract) with the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) to provide ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and telephony services.

 

Commencing later this year, the partnership will offer the IPCC an enhanced range of ICT and business services, with the ability to adapt the service to better fit future needs. Steria will provide a refreshed ICT environment supporting flexible working and improved access to information through new case and integrated information management systems, enabling the IPCC to respond to current and future demands more efficiently.

John Torrie, Chief Executive Officer, Steria UK and India, says, "IPCC and Steria share a number of common values and we are excited by the partnership approach that this agreement represents. This is a long term commitment by both organisations and I am confident will deliver significant operational and business benefits to IPCC through its life."

The IPCC is a non-departmental public body, funded by the Home Office, responsible for overseeing the complaints system for police forces in England and Wales. It also investigates serious complaints against HM Revenue and Customs the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the UK Border Agency staff exercising police-like powers.

As guardians of the complaint system the IPCC has the task of increasing public confidence in the complaint systems and aims to make investigations more open, timely, proportionate and fair.

From 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2009 the IPCC has used its powers to begin 353 independent and 759 managed investigations into the most serious complaints. It has set new standards for police forces to improve the way the public's complaints are handled. The Commission also handles appeals by the public about the way their complaint was dealt with by the local force.

The contract with Steria forms a vital part of the IPCC's wider change programme which is a key strategic initiative for the organisation. It involves a restructure and is enabling the IPCC to build flexibility and efficiency to meet future challenges against limited resources.

IPCC Chief Executive Jane Furniss says, "The new contract with Steria provides us with modern ICT and critical business systems. These are crucial to the ongoing restructuring and development of the organisation and will underpin the work being done to provide greater frontline resources. In future as we develop and respond to new challenges the ICT infrastructure will give us the ability to provide the public with a more transparent and accessible complaints system."