WARWICKSHIRE police force

Node4’s I-LEAP Search Application Provides Warwickshire Police Force’s Frontline Officers with Mobile Access to Interpol Databases

WARWICKSHIRE POLICE FORCE | BLUE LIGHT, PUBLIC SAFETY, NATIONAL SECURITY, PUBLIC SECTOR, NATIONAL GOVERNMENT | 1,100 police officers & staff

The CLIENT

GAINING POST-BREXIT ACCESS TO EU LAW ENFORCEMENT INTELLIGENCE 

After Brexit, UK police forces lost access to the Schengen Information System (SIS II). They returned to using INTERPOL’s I 24/7 database, which they accessed either through the National Crime Agency (NCA) or an existing desktop system. This limited their capability to run criminal, missing person, and persons of interest searches on EU citizens while away from the station.  

From April 2024, police forces were required to provide frontline officers with mobile access to key data from I 24/7 via the International Law Enforcement Alerts Platform, or I-LEAP. This would deliver mobile access to names, vehicle details and selected documents—making it quicker and easier for officers to conduct roadside and other remote checks.  

“I-LEAP adoption was reasonably straightforward for forces with mobile-enabled Police National Computer search capabilities,” explains Head of Change, Nicholas Clarke at Warwickshire Police. “All they had to do was integrate it into their systems and processes and carry on as normal.”  

He continues, “But Warwickshire Police didn’t have these capabilities. So, as the deadline approached, officers continued to radio the control room and request I-24/7 searches. There were a lot of steps to the process, so it could take a few minutes to get the necessary information.”

“WE WORKED CLOSELY TOGETHER AND NODE4’S TEAM BECAME PART OF OUR OWN DEVELOPMENT TEAM. IT WAS ALWAYS A TWO-WAY CONVERSATION, WITH NODE4 ON HAND TO ANSWER QUERIES AND GUIDE US DURING THE TESTING AND ROLL-OUT STAGES, .”

NICHOLAS CLARKE
Head of change, WARWICKSHIRE POLICE FORCE

The Challenge

TO BUY OR TO BUILD?  

Nicholas Clarke admits this was not ideal: “At the end of the day, we knew we would either have to buy a solution to provide officers with direct, real-time mobile I-LEAP access or build one ourselves. And, since a third-party solution would have cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, it made more financial and operational sense to build it ourselves.”   

To give further context to the decision, it’s worth taking a step back and looking at Warwickshire Police’s approach to technology: “We’re the UK’s smallest county force,” explains Nicholas Clarke. “That can present some challenges, but it also allows us to be more agile and innovate faster than some larger forces.”  

“We have a mature technology change programme and our own in-house PowerApp developer team,” he comments, “We were already very much invested in Microsoft’s ecosystem and had built several PowerApps when the I-LEAP directive was announced. Plus, we already had a long-standing relationship with Node4 to supply IT consultancy and third-party tech support.”   

The Solution

A SHARED VISION AND CLOSE COLLABORATION  

Taking these points into consideration, it made sense for Node4 and Warwickshire Police to design and develop a Power App that could put I-24/7 data directly into the hands of frontline officers. “We worked closely together and Node4’s team became part of our own development team. It was always a two-way conversation, with Node4 on hand to answer queries and guide us during the testing and roll-out stages,” Nicholas Clarke comments.   

He continues: “There were many instances where it was easier for us if Node4 could demo new app functionality in person rather than try to explain it in an email or on a Teams call. Node4’s team always obliged and made the time to visit us on-site. This kept the project on track and prevented potential misunderstandings. Now that our I-LEAP app has been rolled out, Node4 provides round-the-clock support when needed.”  

THE I-LEAP SEARCH APPLICATION—A UNIQUE MICROSOFT POWERAPP USE CASE 

Nicolas Clarke recalls that the entire app development approach was unique and groundbreaking. Warwickshire Police  I-LEAP Search Application is the first to use Microsoft’s PowerApps platform and the first designed specifically for mobile devices.

The ResultS

A TEMPLATE FOR OTHER UK POLICE FORCES 

“The project has been a success because we all shared the same vision and purpose,” Nicholas Clarke notes. “The I-LEAP Search Application is fast, and the search results are almost instant. It’s easy and intuitive to use, with a look and feel resembling standard website navigation. All information links are clickable, so officers can drill down into the data and fully appraise themselves of the situation. As you might expect, it also meets required security standards,  although I can’t go into too much detail here for obvious reasons.” 

“I think we’ve created something new and unique that could also benefit other police forces,” Nicholas Clarke comments. “But it’s important for anyone considering going down this route to check their Power App and Azure licenses and associated costs.”  

He concludes: “Our solution uses a broader Microsoft infrastructure that does come at a cost—but it made sense for us given our previous investment in the PowerApps platform and Microsoft infrastructure. If those conditions are met, then I could definitely see the I-LEAP Search Application being templated and rolled out to other police forces.”  

For further details on the I-LEAP Search Application, or to learn more about Node4’s work in public safety and national security technology, get in touch with our specialists today.

POLICING FIRST 2024

Out tech-driven event for police forces is back for 2024!

Whether your force is looking to take the next step on its digital journey, or you’re well on your way with transformation, Node4 is ready and waiting to shine a light on the many practical ways technology can impact the day-to-day lives of your officers, police staff and the communities you serve. 

Join us at Policing First 2024, a free, immersive day-long event uniting policing and technology professionals through one shared goal: to bring about tech-led transformation that helps deliver change that truly matters. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT…

Microsoft Network

Secure the Future: Exploring the Power of Microsoft Entra’s New GA Features

Ready to take your network security to the next level? Discover how the latest features in the Entra Suite integrate modern identity, endpoint, and network access controls, all built on the principles of Zero Trust. Microsoft Entra Internet Access and Private Access have just gone to GA, adding robust features to the Entra Suite that …
Blog The Node4 Team
Company Productivity

Could we fix the UK’s productivity problems with some administrative assistance? 

The UK’s productivity problems It’s widely considered that the United Kingdom has productivity problems. In particular, the UK has been experiencing slow productivity growth in comparison with other countries, and this is more pronounced since 2008. To back this up with some facts:  Underinvestment in capital and skills, inadequate innovation and poor policy coordination have …
Blog Mark Wilson
Cloud Network

Motorpoint

Motorpoint had been using Node4’s MPLS offering to provide internet connectivity to its UK stores, HQ, and vehicle preparation centres
Case Study