Community Policing: Leveraging Mobile Apps for Enhanced Public Safety

Public safety and the community go hand in hand. After all, it is the duty of first responders to maintain the safety of the people within their community. Community policing has increased in law enforcement agencies across the nation with positive results. One way to work with the public to ensure safety is by using a police application.

The Benefits of Community Policing

In the past, community policing would not have been considered by most law enforcement agencies. Before the era of police transparency, anything police handled was unknown to the public and the only way community members could obtain information from police was to formally request it. The lack of communication between law enforcement and the people they serve increased assumptions from the public which can lead to hearsay and rumors. In addition, if there was an incident where police needed additional information, law enforcement would attempt to find this intel on their own which was often time-consuming.

Recent studies have shown that law enforcement agencies that utilize community policing have seen nothing but positive results. Communication and transparency from a police department to the public they serve builds trust and good rapport. In turn, citizens are more likely to assist police and provide helpful information, which may lead to faster apprehension.

One of the most effective ways to enhance community policing is using a public safety app. An application is a convenient way for police officers to connect with the public. Smartphone applications are used daily by everyone who owns a smartphone. A police app is an easy transition when it comes to connecting with local law enforcement. Since most of society is familiar with this type of technology there is no necessary training for the public. Instead, a police department can offer a community policing app to citizens that they can download and navigate conveniently.
A community policing app provides an instant form of communication between local law enforcement and citizens. In particular, the UCP Police app from StackBench provides numerous tools that enable the public to give police helpful information. For instance, if a citizen witnesses an incident such as a hit-and-run car accident, they can take photos or video and immediately upload the images to the UCP Police app.

The ability to give law enforcement leads on cases quickly saves time and can allow police to find subjects quickly. In addition, this community policing app can give law enforcement the exact GPS coordinates of the individual who sent them information, if they choose. This attribute is helpful since in the heat of the moment, a person may not be sure of their exact location which can take police longer to arrive on the scene. Exact GPS coordinates remove the guesswork and enhances public safety. The faster police can respond, the safer the community will be.

Leveraging Police Apps

Law enforcement can use a police app to enhance situational awareness with the touch of a button. The UCP Police app allows police to make one post and have it go out to all social media outlets at once. The ability to quickly create an alert and let the public know about a situation to avoid or be aware of is paramount. Instant communication between police and the public is a great advantage to law enforcement and is one of the ways to leverage using a police app. When the public has information regarding a situation, they can stay away from a particular area and potentially avoid danger.

The ability to give law enforcement leads on cases quickly saves time and can allow police to find subjects quickly. In addition, this community policing app can give law enforcement the exact GPS coordinates of the individual who sent them information, if they choose. This attribute is helpful since in the heat of the moment, a person may not be sure of their exact location which can take police longer to arrive on the scene. Exact GPS coordinates remove the guesswork and enhances public safety. The faster police can respond, the safer the community will be.

Enhancing Public Safety

The more information law enforcement can acquire from the public, the better officers and their command staff can plan their shift coverage. For example, if there have been numerous reports of burglaries in a particular area of town, supervisors can alert their patrolmen so they may patrol that area more frequently. In addition, police can let the public know about repeat instances such as a string of burglaries so they may be on the lookout and can stay alert and report any witnessed suspicious behavior. When police and citizens work together by using a police app, it enhances public safety.
Law enforcement agencies who utilize an app for community policing have seen a positive impact. An application such as UCP Police enables police departments to contact their personnel more conveniently. Without an app, command staff must email or call their staff members to ensure they receive important information for their shift.

With UCP Police, command staff can send out messages to their personnel and receive a notification once the memo is read. This feature keeps personnel accountable and lets supervisors know who has read the information they provided.

When police officers are given information regarding incidents that have occurred before their shift, they can better prepare for any incidents that may occur. For instance, if on the prior shift, police officers handled a call involving a suspect who fled and is armed, the officers on the next shift need to know this information so they may be on the lookout and may remain vigilant should they encounter the suspect. Maintaining officer safety in turn enhances public safety.

An App is a Tool

A public safety application such as UCP Police is an effective tool for both law enforcement and the community they serve. By implementing a community policing application into daily operations, law enforcement can enhance their presence and build a trusting relationship with citizens. Take a look at UCP Police from StackBench for more information about the application and its benefits.