In-house developed by Information Technology Branch (ITB) in the late 1980s, ECACCS has been the key computer system that the Force relies on to support the 999 emergency services in the three Regional Command and Control Centres (RCCCs). ECACCS is a high performance and reliable system providing incident handling and dispatching functions to facilitate efficient and effective response to emergency service requests from the public.

ECACCS is a major component of the current CCII system, which has been in operation since 1990. The radio communication infrastructure and handsets are facing obsolescence. In 2001, the Force obtained funding approval from the Finance Committee for replacing the current system with CCIII, a new command and control system embracing advanced information technologies and telecommunication technologies. CCIII will be rolled out in three phases starting late 2004 through early 2006. It comprises an Integrated Communication System (ICS) with both voice and data transmission capabilities, a 999 Emergency Telephone System (ETS), and three IT systems, namely:

(1) The Automatic Vehicle Location System and Geographic Information System (AVLS&GIS) embraces Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies to enable call-takers and dispatchers to identify instantly the location of incidents and police mobile units on digital maps.

(2) The Mobile Computing and Messaging System (MCS) enables officers to use their radio handsets and in-vehicle mobile data terminals to exchange data messages with RCCCs and to access information in various systems, including Driver License Integrated Data System (VALID) for vehicle information and stolen vehicle checks; Registration of Persons (ROP) for forged ID card checks; and Enhanced Police Operational Nominal Index Computer System (EPONICS) for wanted or missing person checks.

(3) The CACCS3-CORE system is the next generation of ECACCS. CACCS3-CORE will stay as the key computer system for the 999 emergency services and will be integrated with other CCIII systems. It will be enhanced with easy-to-use Graphical User Interface (GUI) and Chinese input capabilities. Its integration with CCIII systems enables it to provide RCCC users and frontline officers with useful information more timely, and enables officers to make better-informed decisions. For example, the Automatic Location Identification (ALI) feature when integrated with CACCS3-CORE will allow the call-taker to see instantly the location of the fixed-line caller and the incident in CACCS3-CORE and GIS map. This function is very useful for identifying the location of a caller who may be a child and cannot express himself clearly.

The ICS, ETS, AVLS&GIS and MCS systems will be designed and implemented by Motorola, the CCIII contractor. ITB is responsible for managing the contractor's work on AVLS&GIS and MCS, as well as monitoring the quality of the systems delivered. ITB also undertakes a major task - the design, development and implementation of CACCS3-CORE and its integration with CCIII systems, this is one of the critical tasks that directly affect the success of the CCIII project.

Since the CACCS3-CORE application is owned by the Force, it has advantages over other packaged Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems because it is tailored to meet the needs of the Force and ITB will be more responsive to system modifications generated by operational needs or user requirements. For the same reason, the total cost of ownership of CACCS3-CORE is significantly lower than other CAD systems on the market. Unlike CACCS3-CORE those CAD packages require substantial customisation works in order to fulfil our operational needs. ITB CACCS3-CORE support personnel also provide a round-the-clock, prompt and professional support service to ensure the quality and high availability of the system.

In order to meet the growing needs and the CCIII requirements, tenders were invited in August 2002 to upgrade the ECACCS system hardware and software. The tendering process has been completed and the contract was awarded to Hewlett-Packard HK Limited on May 5, 2003 at a contract price of $97.8 million, which includes provision of four units of four-processor HP NonStop Server S7600 with Disaster Recovery capability, implementation and consultation services, and nine years of maintenance services.

The new Nonstop Server platform which the CACCS3-CORE application will be running on, provides improved system performance and can ensure service continuity in the event of a disaster. The three regional CACCS3-CORE servers are backed up by the fallback server and the failover between systems will be completed within half an hour. The system can achieve an availability of 99.99%.

"CACCS3-CORE is an essential system vital to our frontline operation," said Assistant Commissioner (Information Systems) Mr Andy Tsang. "IT is an enabler of law enforcement, making it possible for the Force to do its work more efficiently and responsively. In our view, IT is a long-term investment and must meet requirements for expandability and scalability.

"Qualities that we demand for our IT vendors include reliability, quality of support, sound financial fundamentals, and experience in building mission-critical systems across the world. With the CACCS3-CORE system, we are already one of the most advanced police forces in the world," Mr Tsang concluded.

Assistant Commissioner (Information Systems), Mr Andy Tsang, and Hewlett-Packard HK Limited Managing Director, Mr Peter Yeung, at the CCIII contract signing ceremony