UK policing watchdog finds National Crime Agency heavily reliant on weak legacy systems

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An audit has revealed many systems aren’t fit for purpose

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  • An audit has revealed shortcomings in the National Crime Agency's IT
  • Almost 80% of the NCA's IT budget is spent on legacy systems
  • The NCA should address these weaknesses with comprehensive plans

An independent audit by police watchdog, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), has published a worrying report on the IT systems of the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).

The report outlines that ‘many of the IT systems it relies on are outdated and unfit for purpose,’ stating that the NCA is burdened with technical debt thanks to a continued prioritisation of quick fix repairs over more comprehensive long-term solutions.

That’s not all, as the report also recommends the NCA improves its management of bulk datasets - as currently there are no datasets from any regional organised crime units, and no plans to allow the NCA to carry out bulk analysis of data from the Law Enforcement Data Service - despite plans for the service to replace the Police National Computer in 2026.

A ten year strategy

A significant limitation the NCA faces, especially given the sensitive nature of much of the organisation's data, is the lack of cloud adoption;

“The NCA has also been slow to fully embrace the benefits of cloud-based technology, which has adverse practical consequences. For example, personnel can’t automatically transfer data between computer systems operating on each of the three security tiers of the Government Security Classifications Policy.”

The legacy systems that are still operated by the NCA mean higher maintenance costs, limited functionality and compatibility with other internal systems, increased training needed for new personnel, and an inability to fully exploit datasets from other outdated systems.

There were 260 legacy systems identified, which have led to an astonishing 80% of the organization’s IT budget spent on servicing these outdated systems.

The report concludes with nine overall recommendations, including a ten year development strategy for replacing legacy IT systems, developing a plan to carry out bulk data analysis of the Law Enforcement Data Service dataset, as well as adopting the government’s Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework.

The NCA's DG Graeme Biggar confirmed to TechRadar Pro;

"We are taking extensive action on areas identified in the report’s recommendations, much of which was well underway at the time of the inspection. This includes an agency-wide technology modernisation programme."

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Ellen Jennings-Trace
Ellen Jennings-Trace
Staff Writer

Ellen has been writing for almost four years, with a focus on post-COVID policy whilst studying for BA Politics and International Relations at the University of Cardiff, followed by an MA in Political Communication. Before joining TechRadar Pro as a Junior Writer, she worked for Future Publishing’s MVC content team, working with merchants and retailers to upload content.

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