Press release – PDS launches the National Police Capabilities Environment
The Police Digital Service (PDS) has launched the National Police Capabilities Environment (NPCE) as an assured platform on Microsoft Azure.
The NPCE has been designed to host and manage live policing IT solutions across the UK, providing a trusted national environment to support the development, deployment, and scaling of digital policing tools.
The NPCE will benefit UK policing in the following ways:
- Forces and programmes can develop and deploy applications faster, with reduced duplication and cost.
- Operational capabilities can be delivered more securely and consistently.
- Collaboration and data sharing across forces are made simpler through shared architecture and systems.
- A multi-cloud future becomes possible, increasing technical flexibility and vendor choice by adding an Azure environment to the Amazon Web Services’ one that already exists.
Paul Guy, Platform Asset Owner for the NPCE and ICT Director at the Durham Constabulary said: “I’m proud of assisting the PDS National Police Capabilities Environment on its journey. Together, we have the power to shape and deliver national capabilities in a transformative way. This will enhance our everyday work by simplifying how IT services are managed and improving access to essential digital tools that frontline officers need to serve the public better.”
Supporting transformation and frontline outcomes
As policing continues its digital transformation journey, PDS and the NPCE directly support several ambitions set out in the National Policing Digital Strategy 2025–2030, including modernising core infrastructure, enhancing interoperability, and reducing reliance on fragmented local IT systems.
Tony Blaker, Chief of Staff at the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Digital, Data and Technology Coordination Committee said: “The PDS National Police Capabilities Environment is a critical enabler for delivering national digital tools directly to the frontline. Modernising policing IT infrastructure is a key element of our digital, data, and technology strategy. The NPCE will help us achieve that by accelerating how we develop, test, and deploy essential digital services and ensuring they reach officers with greater impact.”
In June, the NPCE successfully onboarded its second proof of concept: Prometheus. Now live on the platform, Prometheus allows investigators to securely access vital data and tools, helping them protect the public more efficiently.
Rachel Wilson, Product Owner for Prometheus said: “I am delighted to have been working collaboratively with PDS to onboard Prometheus on to the National Police Capabilities Environment. This will have significant positive impact for policing in terms of safeguarding victims, apprehending offenders, and creating efficiencies. I am excited about further opportunities and look forward to working with PDS in the future.”
CC Chris Todd at Humberside Police, Chair of the National Policing Data and Analytics Board and Information Asset Owner for Prometheus said: “We need a nationally available, secure environment that allows anyone anywhere in policing to access digital tools and share innovation. Without it, inconsistencies will continue to exist and undermine the push for common standards. That’s why I’m excited to see the launch of the PDS National Police Capabilities Environment. The NPCE provides exactly what we need – a secure and assured cloud environment, designed to scale local successes into national impact. And this is just the beginning. I look forward to seeing a whole suite of digital solutions made available across policing through the NPCE in the very near future.”
What’s next
In addition to Prometheus, the NPCE currently hosts the Automatic Number Plate Recognition’s Find & Profile proof of concept, which was onboarded last year.
With the launch of the NPCE, PDS is now progressing the onboarding of further policing solutions in line with the project roadmap. Continued development is also underway to enhance the platform’s security, technical, and data maturity.
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About the Police Digital Service (PDS):
The Police Digital Service (PDS) is the UK organisation responsible for coordinating, developing, delivering, and managing digital services and solutions that enable UK policing to safely harness technology to improve public safety. Funded by policing and the Home Office, PDS works with law enforcement organisations, private industry, charities, public bodies, and government to deliver digital services and solutions with policing, for policing.
Contacts details:
Media enquiries: media@pds.police.uk
