CHESHIRE Police will spend almost £3.5 million providing officers with electronic tablets to enable bobbies to spend more time on the beat over the coming years.

A total of 1,675 officers across the force have been issued with Surface 3 Microsoft tablets as police bosses vow to make policing more effective and efficient.

The total cost of the Microsoft Surface 3 tablet project is £3.4 million over a three year period from 2016 to 2019.

This figure includes the purchase of the tablets as well as all the staffing costs and on-going technological and security updates.

A spokesman for Cheshire Police added: “This expenditure will deliver improved efficiency in the way officers and staff work and will also deliver cashable savings.

“The £3.4 million cost will also be offset by savings in time and efficiency across the force, and will enable further efficiencies to be realised in the next 18 months.

“These efficiencies will help keep the public safe as the new tablets will maximise the time officers are able to spend in the communities across Cheshire”

David Keane, police and crime commissioner, added: “The full roll out of the tablets is a positive step in ensuring we have a police service fit for the future.

“The tablets will support the efficiency and effectiveness of our police service and I will be monitoring how our investment in new ways of working is allowing officers to spend more time in, and connect to our local communities.”

The tablets enable officers to log digital evidence and upload statements immediately which aims to help to speed up investigations.