ACE delivers Prometheus as a scalable capability for policing
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-11)

Applying advanced data technologies gives investigators faster insights, reduces effort duplication, and improves how information is shared across the system.

One of the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE)’s strengths is taking promising ideas and turning them into live capabilities that make a difference on the ground. Our Prometheus work is a clear example of that approach: applying advanced data technologies to give investigators faster insights, reduce duplication of effort, and improve the way information is shared across the system.

Investigators often face the same frustrations: critical information is hidden in multiple systems, analysis takes longer than it should, and effort is wasted chasing data that already exists somewhere else.

Led by the National Data and Analytics Office (NDAO), Prometheus has been developed to improve the speed at which digital devices seized from a suspect can be examined, helping investigators:

connect information across systems so they can build a clearer picture of a case

identify links and patterns that would otherwise take days or weeks to surface

focus resources on the areas of greatest impact, rather than being tied up in repetitive tasks

Currently in pilot phase and live across five forces, a significant part of this project has been working with the Police Digital Service through the National Policing Capabilities Environment (NPCE).

The NPCE seeks to ensure that long-term, the benefits are not limited to one pilot or one force, but are scalable, secure, and nationally available. That’s the difference between innovation in isolation and innovation that delivers systemic impact.

“Prometheus is proof of what’s possible when policing expertise and innovation are brought together,” said Andy Loukes, Mission Assurance Lead, ACE. “NPCE gives us the infrastructure to deliver this kind of capability at scale, and ACE is proud to be at the forefront of this next chapter in policing technology, working on behalf of the NDAO.”

It is important to stress that Prometheus is not just a single product. We think of it as a vehicle for bringing a range of clever data technologies into law enforcement, whether that’s helping frontline policing, supporting complex financial investigations, or enabling wider criminal justice partners. The defining feature isn’t any one deployment, but the philosophy:

Make data usable - turn fragmented datasets into tools investigators can act on

Scale what works - take promising methods from proof-of-concept to national capability

Drive outcomes - measure success in terms of speed, efficiency, and mission impact

PSNI Detective Superintendent and NDAO Prometheus Project Manager Rachel Wilson said: “I am delighted and proud to have been working collaboratively with the Accelerated Capability Environment to develop and launch Prometheus on the National Policing Capabilities Environment, hosted by the Police Digital Service.

“Prometheus seeks to transform manual, time consuming data processing methods, saving valuable time and resource and facilitating the prompt apprehension of offenders and, most importantly, the safeguarding of victims without delay.

“While it is currently being piloted to assist in the investigation of child sexual abuse and exploitation cases, the long-term aim is to transition the use of this tool to a far wider range of crime types.

“I am excited about further opportunities and look forward to working with ACE again in the future.”

Prometheus shows how ACE works: convening partners, testing new approaches quickly, and then working through national programmes like NPCE to make sure those benefits are delivered where they matter most. For policymakers, it offers a model of how investment in data-driven innovation translates into tangible operational impact.

This is just one strand of our work, but it illustrates the value of combining technical ingenuity with practical delivery. Threats are becoming more complex in the UK, and Prometheus demonstrates how ACE helps law enforcement stay ahead, turning technology into outcomes, and outcomes into impact.