Director of ICT, Essex and Kent Police Andy Barker
Above: Andy BarkerAndy Barker is the new Director of Information and
Communications Technology for both Essex and Kent police
forces.
Mr Barker is responsible for taking Essex and Kent’s information
and communications technology (ICT)
strategies forward together – equipping both forces for future
ICT
challenges, such as the introduction of new joint systems and
applications, while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of
those we use now.
He joins us from the National Policing Improvement Agency
(NPIA), which he
joined in March 2009 as Information System Improvement
Strategy (ISIS) Programme Director.
Between 2003 and March 2009, he was head of Information Systems
for Kent Police, where he rolled out an innovative programme of IT
modernisation
He says: “I am delighted to be joining Essex and Kent as the new
Director of Information and Communications Technology at this
exciting time.
“It is important that, while Essex and Kent collaborate to
enable their ICT systems
to become more efficient and effective, we can also build in
flexibility to support each individual force’s strategic objectives
and corporate plans in order to better protect the public and
support front-line policing.”
In his role with the NPIA, Mr Barker's
challenge was to mobilise the NPIA's strategy to improve the
efficiency and effectiveness of information systems in the police
service.
He worked with police forces and partner agencies to transform
police information systems by delivering common and compatible
standards and technology throughout the police service, to allow
better identification of people, easier sharing of information and
intelligence, as well as significantly reducing costs, allowing the
funds to be reinvested in other areas.
Mr Barker completed his graduate training at General Electrical
Company (GEC) and then took
on a number of both commercial and technical roles in the
manufacturing software industry.
From there, he became head of IT for an acquisitive packaging
group, completing a major IT merger programme.
In 2000 he was appointed as Director of E-Sales for a European
packaging group based in Vienna.
