Fujitsu police contract ‘complicates’ Publish Workplace investigation
The Metropolitan Police officer main the nationwide investigation into crimes dedicated in the course of the Publish Workplace scandal stated Fujitsu’s contact to run the police community “complicates issues”.
Via Fujitsu’s Regulation Enforcement Group Community (LECN) contract with the Dwelling Workplace, separate nationwide police forces share data. The community acts because the spine for cross-force collaboration, permitting the Metropolitan Police and different forces to coordinate investigations reminiscent of Operation Olympos.
In August, Laptop Weekly raised issues over a possible battle of curiosity if Operation Olympos makes use of the community, as a result of Fujitsu employees being investigated.
The investigation is a nationwide operation involving police forces throughout the UK, and is at the moment reviewing over 1.5 million paperwork.
4 Regional Investigation Groups are made up from police forces throughout England and Wales, with Police Scotland, Police Service of Northern Eire and the Nationwide Crime Company additionally making a contribution.
Requested if he was snug with this at a press replace on the investigation, Metropolitan Police commander Stephen Clayman of Operation Olympos wouldn’t touch upon the Fujitsu contract, however stated: “There are this stuff within the sidelines which complicate issues, and that’s one thing I’m attempting to not be distracted with.
“We’ve bought a job to do, and we’ll do this objectively and because the proof takes us.”
LECN prolonged
The Dwelling Workplace prolonged LECN in November 2024 via a £15m deal, regardless of the provider being investigated in a Publish Workplace scandal probe. This was months after the announcement of Operation Olympos in Could 2024.
The LECN platform makes use of networking gear and encryption expertise to supply safe connectivity between forces. It permits real-time sharing of intelligence, case recordsdata and operational information throughout the nation, with orchestration, monitoring and entry. It’s managed by police-vetted Fujitsu employees.
LECN is made up of 16 contracts with a mixed worth of about £29m, with the most important contract awarded to Fujitsu to produce software-defined vast space community (SD-WAN) continuity.
Talking to Laptop Weekly in August, Forensic legal psychologist Ian Ross, a former police officer, stated: “There’s a de facto battle of curiosity.
“Given the Metropolitan police-led Operation Olympos is at the moment investigating Fujitsu itself, their workers concerned within the scandal regarding nothing lower than alleged perjury in each the Excessive Courtroom and Crown Courtroom, how can they justify this doubtful enterprise relationship?”
Fujitsu subcontractor
Laptop Weekly additionally revealed a Fujitsu subcontractor with the Metropolitan Police. A freedom of data request revealed that DHL Provide Chain offers officers with uniforms. Fujitsu provides and helps the web ordering platform, referred to as Uniform Hub.
The information consists of private and employment particulars reminiscent of worker quantity and person ID, identify, electronic mail deal with, gender, final rent date and termination date if related. It additionally consists of data on what Metropolitan Law enforcement officials are engaged on, the beginning date of present assignments, rank bands and job roles.
The Police Nationwide Laptop (PNC) additionally runs on a Fujitsu mainframe. That is the central database utilized by UK police and legislation enforcement companies to retailer and entry data. It’s used to hold out real-time checks, together with on legal information, lacking individuals and car registrations.
It’s accessed by all UK police forces and different authorised companies, and is a part of the UK’s crucial nationwide infrastructure, offering 24/7 availability.
Fujitsu has supplied the mainframe expertise and help for a few years. The PNC is being changed by the Regulation Enforcement Information Service, however delays meant Fujitsu was chosen to supply help for the present {hardware} till the brand new system is rolled out.
The Publish Workplace scandal was first uncovered by Laptop Weekly in 2009, revealing the tales of seven subpostmasters and the issues they suffered because of the accounting software program (see timeline of Laptop Weekly articles concerning the scandal beneath).
