Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers in the Middlesbrough District are now benefiting from the state of the art CUPID project.
The Cleveland Universal Police Information Device or CUPID, as it is known, is a handheld device which allows officers to access local intelligence systems and the Police National Computer so that vehicles and people can be identified whilst out on the street.
A key additional function is officers being able to fill in and submit forms electronically rather than having to go back to the police station.
A massive £7.9 million has been invested in the project by Cleveland Police Authority, which is already seeing officers spending more time on the frontline, serving their communities.
The project, which uses Beat Systems software, was piloted at Hartlepool last year and the next phase is the roll out to Middlesbrough.
Chief Constable of Cleveland Police Sean Price said: "Through Putting People First we are equipping our officers and staff with the latest technology that enables them to deliver a truly citizen focused policing service.
"We know that members of the public want to see more officers out on the beat, and activity analysis done at Hartlepool shows that these devices are allowing officers to spend 20% more time out on the streets.
"Other benefits include reduced paperwork and bureaucracy for officers and staff, and we are also seeing an increase in intelligence reports that are being submitted electronically.
"This helps us build up a picture of what is happening in a particular ward area, so that we can target our resources more effectively."
Added Police Authority Chair Councillor Dave McLuckie "The first priority for the public is to see police officers spending as much time as possible out on the front line -- and the key to making that happen is reducing the time they have to spend on administrative work.
"As an authority and a force, we are committed to modernising every aspect of our work, including giving our officers the technology which will enable them to greatly reduce the time they have to spend on paperwork as well as providing much greater access to information and intelligence systems...and a better service to victims of crime.
"What is really important is that our investment in CUPID makes a real difference to the communities we serve and I think we can take pride in being one of the first areas in the country to develop and introduce this kind of technology to meet the challenges of Twenty First Century policing."
The rollout to the rest of the Force continues later this year.