At the time major incidents had a card indexing system. With better computers and programmes HOLMES (Home Office Large Major Enquiry System) was introduced in 85
So I suppose with such a large inquiry the clunkier it became. Couple that with management style and culture then it became what it it did.
The Soham Murders likewise revealed a major flaw in Police information systems. There are 6 major databases throughout forces and only PNC is national. Every force procured something different so basically cross force enquiries had to be done manually. There is now in place a Police National Database which all those separate systems feed into.
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