A tech company with links to billionaire Jeff Bezos and actor Ashton Kutcher is suing NSW Police over a canceled contract to upgrade its technology.
US-based software provider Mark43 was contracted by NSW Police in March last year, to upgrade its Computerized Operational Policing System (COPS).
According to former police commissioner Mick Fuller, in answers submitted during budget estimates last year, the cost of transitioning from COPS to the Integrated Police Operating System (IPOS) would be more than $1.2 billion over 18 years.
NSW Police made an initial payment of $6.5 million to Mark43, with phase one of the project costing $161 million over eight years.
COPS is a database which captures and analyzes crime information, including personal and identifying details of those who have been contacted by the police.
An April audit of NSW Police responses to domestic and family violence found that COPS “is cumbersome and duplicative, and its replacement is at least four years away”.
It said the 27-year-old system was “limited in its effectiveness” and “single event oriented”.
“The system does not automatically identify repeat offenders for example, and related information is not displayed as automated alerts in COPS.”
The new system was expected to be operational by 2025, according to a NSW government answer published by the parliament last year.
But a spokesperson for NSW Police said it had recently terminated the contract.
Now, Mark43 has taken the matter to the NSW Supreme Court, and spokesperson Devora Kaye said they had no other option.
“With a proven track record of successful implementations in more than 120 police departments, Mark43 made every effort to work with changing NSWPF leadership and to continue implementation of this project, just as it is committed to doing with each customer,” she said.
“Despite Mark43’s repeated attempts to resolve this matter privately, NSWPF has left no option but for the company to seek appropriate relief.”
On its website, Mark43 lists Amazon founder Mr. Bezos as an advisor alongside former CIA director general David Petraeus and actors Kutcher and Sophie Bush.
It says Bezos Expedition invested in the tech company in March 2018, and Amazon’s cloud service provides “support for their large criminal justice information security workloads”.
Since the contract was signed, Mr. Fuller retired and he was replaced by the new Commissioner, Karen Webb.
In a statement, NSW Police said it would “vigorously defend this claim and make a cross-claim to recover its losses”.
“NSWPF remains committed to modernizing policing operations with new technology platforms that will make it faster, simpler, and safer for officers responding to emergencies and investigating crimes across NSW,” the statement said.
“There will be no impact on police operations or public safety in NSW from the decision to terminate the Mark43 contract.”
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