BRADFORD police will be the first to be given new hand-held digital devices to replace pocket notebooks as part of a £5 million investment.

West Yorkshire Police Force says the change, due to come in before Christmas, will mean bobbies spend more time on the beat.

They describe it as "one of the biggest technological advancements in modern policing".

It means officers will be able to input information directly into the force's electronic systems without heading back to the police station. Police will also be able to get information without having to find a computer terminal first.

The whole package of hardware, specialist 'apps' for various policing needs, training and support will cost the service in excess of £5 million.

But if predictions are correct, it should save more than three times that sum in the extra time it frees up for officers and some other police staff, to put in extra time on the front line of police work.

Research on mobile police working suggests it gives officers an additional 18 minutes time for active policing duties and in West Yorkshire, every extra minute available each day for every officer is work £1 million a year.

Bradford Council's executive member for safer and stronger communities, Councillor Imran Hussain, said the effective use of technology in other fields had been very successful and had brought "massive benefits".

"We are sure this will be an example of that. The more emphasis on front line policing, the better," said Cllr Hussain, who is also a member of the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel.

But he also suggested a review of the system's performance in a year's time to assess the level of benefits it will have created.

The first phase of the scheme will involve 4,000 Samsung devices being issued, but that figure could increase to about 7,000 eventually.

West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Andy Battle said: "This initiative will exploit technology to maximise the capability and effectiveness of policing at the front-line.

"It will potentially lead to 7,000 front line officers and staff using the devices.

"As a result of this project, there will be an increase in the amount of time they are able to spend on the streets, dealing with crime and public safety.

"Officers will be able to enter electronic witness statements and complete missing person forms without having to put pen to paper back at base.

"Similarly, the device will allow users to view and update incidents whilst on the beat, increasing our visibility, responsiveness and presence on the streets.

"We continue to look for ways to revolutionise the way we do business, creating efficiency savings that will ultimately benefit the communities we serve long into the future."

Part of the money which has gone into the development has been for security, to ensure the information systems remain totally confidential.

West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson said: "As we face Government cuts of more than £160m between 2010 and 2017, it is imperative that we continue to look towards new ways of working that ensure our neighbourhoods are safe and feel safe."