NSW Police unsuccessful in technology upgrades: report

The Auditor‑General for New South Wales has tabled a report into NSW Police operational technology titled ‘Upgrades to core policing technology’ in which it has been found that the NSW Police Force has failed to efficiently and effectively plan and source key components to upgrade its core policing technology systems.

The NSW Police Force is Australia’s largest law enforcement agency, with nearly 16,000 sworn officers and 4500 civilian staff serving almost 8.5 million people across 801,600 square kilometres. It therefore requires robust technology systems to give frontline officers timely information at incidents and to process crime records efficiently to support judicial process and improved community safety.

The Force’s primary operational support system, the Computerised Operational Policing System (COPS) was implemented in 1994 and is hosted on outdated mainframe technology, using an obsolete programming language. It supports day-to-day policing by recording incidents and maintaining information to support case management and investigative activity. Other core policing technology systems that support activities include computer aided dispatch (CAD), forensics and exhibits management, custody management, and major investigations and intelligence gathering. These systems are critical for effective policing in NSW.

The NSW Police Force has made several attempts to upgrade or replace its core systems since 2006. The audit focused on the activities of the NSW Police Force to replace core systems from 2018 to 2025 in a program known as the Integrated Policing Operating System (IPOS) from 2018 until 2024, then later the Police Technology Program (PTP).

On 20 November 2024, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) referred a complaint to the Audit Office of New South Wales under section 162 of the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission Act 2016, concerning the NSW Police Force’s administration of the IPOS Project.

The Auditor General has found that the NSW Police Force has not efficiently or effectively planned and sourced key components to upgrade core policing technology systems. Despite spending over $155 million (47% of the $328 million allocated program budget) between March 2021 and December 2025, several replacement systems are still outstanding, having delivered one of the five core systems. The slow progress has required the NSW Police Force to allocate program funds to extend the life of its legacy systems, and expects the program timeline to blow out by an additional four years and requiring an additional $493 million in funds.

In the meantime, the delay in delivery has resulted in technology and operational risks and reduced operational effectiveness.

In 2020, a contract was awarded through a competitive process to a US technology firm whose product best met operational requirements, but ultimately, the supplier was unable to deliver, which resulted in lengthy delays to the program and waste of public resources.

The reports found that NSW Police Force did not establish and maintain effective governance to support timely and coordinated program delivery. However, following an external review of the program in 2024, both governance and program management have improved significantly.

The full NSW Auditor General’s report can be found here.

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