Tasmania adds 3G tablet trial to Police Force's arsenal

The Tasmanian Police Force is beginning a trial of tablet devices to complement its duties.

As part of the trial, 40 3G-capable tablets will be issued to police officers in the Kingston Division for three weeks.

Commissioner of Police Darren Hine said the tablets will allow officers to directly access information, rather than having to ring through for updates.

"A big part of the Support to the Frontline Strategy is giving our front-line officers access to more contemporary systems, both in terms of technology and the movement of personnel," he said in a statement.

The strategy includes providing laptops instead of desktops at country stations, implementing wi-fi at front-line stations, and enabling a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy.

It also calls for improvements to the development of software to report minor incidents and for electronic infringement notices.

"One of the main benefits of using this more responsive technology is the amount of time it can save our officers working on the front line," Hine said.

"For example, officers using these tablets will be able to submit reports live from the field, rather than having to return to the station to complete their paperwork."

The trial will progress to a graduated rollout of the computer tablets to other front-line officers if successful.