Bezos-backed company says NSW Police breached IT deal

NSW Police have been accused of costing the taxpayer potentially millions in legal fees just because a few top cops changed their minds despite signing a binding $1 billion data deal.

NSW Police have been accused of costing the taxpayer potentially millions in legal fees just because a few top cops changed their minds, despite signing a binding $1 billion data deal.

The problems began almost immediately after police signed the contract with Mark43, a software provider backed by the world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, despite two years in the planning, a number of sources have told The Daily Telegraph.

“There was a lot of internal politicking,” one source said.

“There was a constant turnover of people involved right from the start. The changed what they wanted.”

But the police have blamed the company with a spokesman saying Mark43 could not deliver what they had signed up to.

The world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos.

Labor police spokesman Paul Scully.

Opposition police spokesman Paul Scully on Wednesday described the debacle, which is now before the Supreme Court, as Police Minister Paul Toole’s “equivalent of Scott Morrison breaking the nuclear subs deal with France”.

The software, which was to cost $177 million to buy and $1 billion over 15 years, was designed to replace the 28-year-old COPS system that covers arrests, charging, call-taking, dispatch, records and investigations and was to include forensics, evidence and the triple-O callouts.

“It was the biggest deal of its kind and now it is turning out to be the biggest stuff-up of it’s kind,” Mr Scully said.

“Regardless of what happens in the legal process, we have still got a fundamental problem where we have wasted these years to replace the ageing IT system and now we have to start again.”

When the Mark43 contract was raised in budget estimates earlier this month by Labor MLC Courtney Houssos, Police Minister Mr Toole said: “Sorry, which one?”

He said he would have to take questions on notice and later told the committee: “I‘ve just got an answer to your Mark43 … It is actually a police operation. It‘s actually a live issue as well.”

He passed questions on to Police Commissioner Karen Webb.

The date deal was signed after extensive legal advice before Karen Webb took over as Police Commissioner this year.

The “giant” contract, said to encompass thousands of pages, was signed by her predecessor Mick Fuller after extensive legal advice.

It was an off-the-shelf software program used by police forces across the US but with some specific requirements set down by NSW Police.

Mark43 spokesman Devora Kaye said in a statement on Wednesday: “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.

“Despite Mark43’s repeated attempts to resolve this matter privately, NSWPF has left no option but for the company to seek appropriate relief.”

A NSW Police spokesman said: “NSWPF terminated the contract with Mark43 because of significant failings by the company in delivering functionality in accordance with the contract.”

A spokesman for Mr Toole said: “This dispute relates to an operational contract entered into by NSW Police. Given the matter is now the subject of legal action, it would be inappropriate to comment while it remains before the courts.”