The new Strategic Principles for Police ICT make good common sense, and are hard to argue against. We can all agree on the importance of interoperability, good management of data, user-friendliness, and the ability to switch across different platforms. Efficiency, effectiveness; a rounded view of value for money; future proofing: what’s not to like? Yet the principles also present challenges, and following them will not be straightforward, explains former Greater Manchester Police ACC Ian Wiggett.