The New York Police Department has confirmed it will begin transitioning to iPhones for its 36,000 police officers in the fall, less than one year after completing a rollout of Windows Phones to its police force.

NYPD windows phone

Image: ABC7 Eyewitness News - WABC-TV New York

Jessica Tisch, the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Information Technology, said "improvements in Apple controls" will enable the department to "responsibly and cost effectively move its mobility initiative to the Apple platform."

When the NYPD chose Windows Phone devices in 2014, Tisch said "neither iOS nor Android phones allowed it to cost-effectively utilize prior investment in custom Windows applications" that it had deployed at the time.

"Moreover, we assessed that the Windows platform would be most effective at achieving our goal of securing 36,000 devices that would be used for sensitive law enforcement operations," added Tisch. "This was of paramount importance."

The NYPD said its contract provided for Nokia's Lumia smartphones at no cost. It also allowed for the department to replace the smartphones with devices of its choosing two years later, also at no cost.

As a result, the NYPD said its smartphone initiative is 45 percent under budget. Based on its current rate of spending, the department expects to stretch what was initially budgeted at two years of spending to more than four years.

Tisch said the NYPD's mobility initiative has made its police officers "smarter, faster, and more agile" in their response to 911 calls, with response times down more than 8 percent compared to an unspecified period.

Top Rated Comments

69Mustang Avatar
105 months ago
I can understand their likely decision to initially use Window's phones, as I'm sure they're running a Window's computer system. But even still, what IT or tech consultant, let alone internal folks at NYPD would have thought Window's phones were going to have a future? They've been losing marketshare for years, and the writing has been on the wall for a long time. I imagine the decision lined someone's pockets with a bunch of money or a future job opportunity at MS.
Based on the article's content, the decision to go with Windows phones was an easy one to make. The phones integrated with already deployed software. The phones came at no cost. The upgrades would come at no cost. It allowed them to come in 45% under budget. It has allowed them to stretch a 2 year budget into a 4 year budget. I'm at a loss to find anything wrong with their decision at the time in 2014. Also at a loss to see where someone's pocket got lined in that scenario.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FelixDerKater Avatar
105 months ago
Based on the article's content, the decision to go with Windows phones was an easy one to make. The phones integrated with already deployed software. The phones came at no cost. The upgrades would come at no cost. It allowed them to come in 45% under budget. It has allowed them to stretch a 2 year budget into a 4 year budget. I'm at a loss to find anything wrong with their decision at the time in 2014. Also at a loss to see where someone's pocket got lined in that scenario.
And now we have the first person to actually read the article instead of just forming a conclusion off the headline.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kaibelf Avatar
105 months ago
Look like they got what they paid for.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jmgregory1 Avatar
105 months ago
I can understand their likely decision to initially use Window's phones, as I'm sure they're running a Window's computer system. But even still, what IT or tech consultant, let alone internal folks at NYPD would have thought Window's phones were going to have a future? They've been losing marketshare for years, and the writing has been on the wall for a long time. I imagine the decision lined someone's pockets with a bunch of money or a future job opportunity at MS.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
trellus Avatar
105 months ago
Based on the article's content, the decision to go with Windows phones was an easy one to make. The phones integrated with already deployed software. The phones came at no cost. The upgrades would come at no cost. It allowed them to come in 45% under budget. It has allowed them to stretch a 2 year budget into a 4 year budget. I'm at a loss to find anything wrong with their decision at the time in 2014. Also at a loss to see where someone's pocket got lined in that scenario.
+1 -- I would have made the same decision, given those parameters. That bought them time and saved some serious coin, and now they can easily afford to make the decision they have made now, and which was also quite a good one for now! :)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
democracyrules Avatar
105 months ago
('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/29/nypd-confirms-transition-to-iphones/')


The New York Police Department has confirmed ('http://nypdnews.com/2017/08/deputy-commissioner-information-technology-jessica-tischs-response-ny-post-article/') it will begin transitioning to iPhones ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/28/nypd-said-to-replace-windows-phones-with-iphones-starting-this-year/') for its 36,000 police officers in the fall, less than one year after completing a rollout of Windows Phones to its police force.


Image: ABC7 Eyewitness News - WABC-TV New York

Jessica Tisch, the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Information Technology, said "improvements in Apple controls" will enable the department to "responsibly and cost effectively move its mobility initiative to the Apple platform."

When the NYPD chose Windows Phone devices in 2014, Tisch said "neither iOS nor Android phones allowed it to cost-effectively utilize prior investment in custom Windows applications" that it had deployed at the time.

"Moreover, we assessed that the Windows platform would be most effective at achieving our goal of securing 36,000 devices that would be used for sensitive law enforcement operations," added Tisch. "This was of paramount importance."

The NYPD said its contract provided for Nokia's Lumia smartphones at no cost. It also allowed for the department to replace the smartphones with devices of its choosing two years later, also at no cost.

As a result, the NYPD said its smartphone initiative is 45 percent under budget. Based on its current rate of spending, the department expects to stretch what was initially budgeted at two years of spending to more than four years.

Tisch said the NYPD's mobility initiative has made its police officers "smarter, faster, and more agile" in their response to 911 calls, with response times down more than 8 percent compared to an unspecified period.

Article Link: NYPD Defends Choosing Windows Phones, Confirms Plans to Switch to iPhones ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/29/nypd-confirms-transition-to-iphones/')
Totally agree with NYPD decision to change windows phone to iPhones. It is a superb decision considering iphone is the most secured smartphone in the planet. Law enforcements need the most secured phone, which only iPhone can meet the need. [emoji1303][emoji1303][emoji1303][emoji1303]
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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