Recommendation 19

The Independent Assurance Panel agreed that testing at scale is crucial, including at real-world events such as the coronation and Notting Hill Carnival.61 We asked the Department about its previous attempts at testing parts of ESN. The Department said it had needed to be re-run some tests three times, but had not allowed the time to do so, which had caused delays.62 When asked about providing devices for testing, the Department acknowledged that only a small number of devices had ever been provided. It committed to getting preliminary devices in ‘as many hands’ as it could over the next 18 months. It also said it would listen to user feedback, so that ESN would work at ‘3 am, 49 Qq 7, 55 (26 April) 50 Q 13, 54 (26 April) 51 Qq 6, 55, 56 (26 April) 52 C&AG’s Report, para 16 53 Q 60 (26 April) 54 Q 59 (26 April) 55 Q 62 (26 April) 56 Qq 19, 41–42 (27 March) 57 Qq 45, 46 (27 March) 58 Qq 3, 4 (26 April) 59 Qq 10, 11 (26 April) 60 Qq 1, 60–61 (26 April) 61 Q 14 (26 April) 62 Q 77 (27 March) The Emergency Services Network 13 in the dark, in the rain, with gloves on.’63 It now expects the replacement for Motorola to provide these devices, and hopes these will be off-the-shelf handsets.64 However, the NPCC considers a radio-style device is a core requirement for frontline police, ideally with the ability to work with both ESN and Airwave to reduce the risk and complexity of a future transition.65 The Department said it would consider dual-mode devices if they were not too expensive.66