3 Ways a Police App Enhances Safety in Your Community

A Police App is a Time Saver

Technology can enhance police work in many ways. For instance, before police vehicles were equipped with computers, officers had to handwrite tickets; at times officers had to write more than one copy of the same ticket. This was time-consuming for the police officer as well as for the person who entered that ticket into the database at the police station. Now, most departments have switched to e-tickets which entail typing the ticket once and printing it out on site. The ability to print out tickets on the side of the road saves much time for law enforcement as well as other personnel at the station. The more time an officer can save, the more time they can spend patrolling and keeping the peace.

A police app can also save time, and resources, and serve as a helpful tool for law enforcement and citizens. While radios are still an important part of policing, a police app can provide more secure communication for law enforcement personnel. Police radios are constantly used for police officers to contact their dispatch center. Since radios may be purchased by anyone in the public and often are, police limit what they communicate on the radio and use ten codes to articulate what is going on. However, a custom police app offers law enforcement the ability to communicate with each other through a platform that is encrypted.

Why is security so important? If there is a dangerous situation happening and the suspect is on the loose, that person or someone who knows that person may have a radio and may hear what the police are doing. When information falls into the wrong hands, it can interfere with police work and the suspect may be able to escape. A police app allows law enforcement personnel to communicate without the fear of anyone else hearing or seeing the messages. Using discretion in this particular instance may be the difference between apprehending the suspect and losing them. Encrypted messages allow police officers to share important details with other officers which enhances both police and public safety. An application provides law enforcement officers with the information they need at their fingertips. Overall, a police app decreases time spent on trying to obtain information which increases the time officers can spend taking care of the situation itself.

Situational Awareness

To maintain public safety, law enforcement has to be situationally aware at all times. Situational awareness should be at the forefront of every individual’s mind as the more that is known about one’s surroundings the better a person can prepare for anything that may happen. When police officers are situationally aware they increase their safety as well.

Though law enforcement is trained to be prepared, part of being situationally aware is obtaining information about a situation. For example, if police are called to an incident involving a weapon, knowing that there is a weapon and what type it is will help the officer be ready and vigilant; some of the most dangerous situations an officer may encounter are those instances when they do not have much information before responding a call, it is much more difficult to arrive fully prepared. A police app is an excellent tool that helps police officers gather more information about a situation and much more quickly than other forms of communication. This is because through an app a supervisor can get ahold of the officers on their shift to let them know of any imperative information regarding incidents. Traditionally, police departments will have briefings at the beginning of the shift to let each officer know about any incidents that may have occurred. Though effective, an app enables command staff to alert their staff immediately providing imperative information to the police officer instantly.

Furthermore, the UCP Police app has an email feature set up so that command staff may see who has read memos that have been sent out. This feature keeps the officers accountable and lets command staff know who may or may not have read a message that contains vital information.

By implementing a custom police app into a law enforcement agency’s daily operations, trust between police officers and the citizens they serve will grow. When the public trusts their local law enforcement they are more apt to relate information to the police. Often the public would like to offer up information regarding incidents they witness, however, individuals are afraid to become involved and wish to remain anonymous. The custom police app UCP Police from StackBench has a feature that allows individuals to report details of incidents they have witnessed to police and remain nameless.

An app for police can enhance inter-department relationships as well. If there is an incident that took place in one jurisdiction, and a suspect is headed towards another area, having a police app available it is convenient for various agencies to alert one another. This way one law enforcement agency can alert another about a situation or individual that may be headed their way. The UCP Police app allows law enforcement to make a post about an incident and send it out through many social media platforms with the touch of a button.

Officer Safety

A police app can help law enforcement do their best to keep the public safe, it can also enhance officer safety. Most of the population has a smartphone and is familiar with applications and how they are used. In addition, the majority of society uses some type of social media platform daily. Law enforcement can utilize social media in a way that connects them to the public. When a police department is transparent and alerts the public about incidents happening that they may need to be aware of or locations they need to avoid it improves public safety.

A custom police app such as UCP Police allows law enforcement agencies to customize the app to suit the needs of the public and their community. Police departments can choose from several categories so that they may set up the application according to their preference. In addition, UCP Police enables law enforcement agencies to upload videos and other resources for citizens regarding everything from safety to health and wellness. Offering the community such resources is a positive way to connect with the public. The UCP Police app also provides law enforcement with exact GPS coordinates so when an individual reports an incident through the app police will already know where they are.

Alerting the public about areas to avoid such as car accidents or areas with heavy police activity can decrease the chances of additional incidents occurring. Over the last few years, there have been many accidents, even fatalities, that have occurred on roadsides at the scenes of other accidents. Some of these have affected police and others have involved citizens. By alerting the public about a situation that is happening through a police app, citizens can avoid locations that may be potentially dangerous. When the public avoids particular areas or proceeds with caution, it enhances officer and public safety.

Where to Find a Police App

A custom police app may be found on StackBench’s website. UCP Police is one of a few application products offered to first responders. The UCP app allows first responders to customize the application in a way that fits the needs of their department as well as their community.

An app for police is free to the public and economical for law enforcement agencies. Using a police app is an innovative and effective way to bridge the gap between the public and law enforcement. An app for police such as UCP Police includes a feature that lets citizens upload photos and videos directly to police. The ability to receive this type of firsthand information directly may produce leads faster and could lead to a faster resolution of an incident.

The more police utilize an application the more leads will be generated, the faster officers can respond to incidents, and the more transparent a department can be with the public they serve. Additionally, a custom police app increases community policing which has been proven to produce positive results for law enforcement. Take a look at StackBench’s website today and start the process of including an application in your police department.