Empowering Women’s Safety: How StackBench’s Sheriff Department Mobile Apps Contribute to Personal Security in 2023

Public safety is the goal of every law enforcement organization. After all, that is at the heart of every department. While it is the job of law enforcement professionals to provide safety to the communities they serve by protecting them, it is equally important to educate citizens about staying safe. This can create confidence in local law enforcement.

For sheriff’s departments, connecting with the community they serve is imperative. Deputies cover vast regions of their county and often only have contact with the public when they respond to calls. Implementing Sheriff Department Mobile Apps can increase the connection between the public and deputies.

The use of mobile applications can enhance public safety. For example, custom sheriff apps can allow deputies to have a further reach within their communities. When an application is incorporated into a department's operations, law enforcement can connect with the public with the touch of a button. Likewise, an application allows the public to instantly connect with their local law enforcement as well.

Though men and women are both victimized, women are much more likely to be victims of a crime especially if it is of a sexual nature or attack. Women do not have to fear when it comes to providing information or tips to local law enforcement. This is because of the implantation of mobile law enforcement apps and how convenient they make connecting with law enforcement directly.

Awareness

Women’s safety is an important topic. Situational awareness should always be a focal point for any individual. Women can greatly benefit from practicing situational awareness since statistically, women are more often a target for potential predators than men. According to a survey conducted from 2000 to 2018, one in three women have been victims of an attack that is physical, sexual, or both. That is a high probability rate, which means women should be aware at all times of their surroundings. One way to enhance this skill is through knowledge and keeping up to date on what is happening in communities. With a law enforcement application, departments can provide their citizens with information regarding incidents that may be occurring, tips on safety, and other important alerts. Having a tool such as this can increase women’s safety too. With a touch of a button, authorities can alert citizens and likewise, the public can relate information to authorities.

It is important for every individual in a community to be aware of what is happening around them. For rural or expansive communities, it can be more difficult to stay in the know of what has happened or is currently occurring in the county. Sheriff’s departments that use a mobile app that is custom-made for the needs of a sheriff’s office have an advantage and may connect with their community much more quickly and effectively.

When a sheriff's department implements a custom sheriff app, deputies can easily let the public know of any important information such as road closures or any other type of information. Citizens of the sheriff’s department’s county can securely and even anonymously provide information to deputies as well.

Education

Part of educating the community regarding public safety is by providing the public with the necessary tools. This includes knowledge, communication, and technology. With the influx of smartphones and application technology, law enforcement and their respective communities can connect through these resource tools. The use of this type of technology has changed the way law enforcement and citizens communicate, connect, and interact. As a result, it has not only educated the public, it has increased public safety.

Sheriff’s Department Apps and Women’s Empowerment

Law enforcement applications can bring peace of mind to women and can open up the door of communication between them and their local sheriff’s office. The more comfortable women are with their local authorities, the more likely they are going to relate information that may help deputies increase public safety in their county. Also, when women feel at ease with local law enforcement this creates trust. Utilizing an application that allows both the public and law enforcement to interact more conveniently and effectively increases peace of mind and safety.

The ultimate goal for public safety should be for citizens and their local law enforcement to have a working relationship. When citizens can easily provide local authorities with information or potential leads on a case, this benefits law enforcement. At the same time, when law enforcement is communicative and transparent with the public they serve, this increases the likelihood of the public providing law enforcement with important information. When both parties work together, it enhances trust and increases public safety and situational awareness. With more trust, women can be more confident in their local sheriff’s office. Sheriff App can enhance this connection.

Application Tools Specific for Sheriff

Sheriff’s Departments cover a lot of territory in their jurisdiction. Due to the expansiveness of their reach, there are often gaps in communication with the communities they serve. Even with maximum effort, it can still be a challenge to reach the community effectively. With a sheriff’s department application designed specifically for sheriff’s offices, departments can reach their citizens in a much more effective manner. In addition, since sheriff’s departments have different responsibilities than metropolitan police, utilizing an application that is specifically designed for sheriff's departments is important. For example, the Unified Communication Platform (UCP) from StackBench made specifically for sheriffs has different features than their UCP for police. The application works the same, however, there are some features unique to the sheriff’s departments’ needs. These include specific features or categories that suit the needs of deputies. One feature included is “Know the Sheriff”, which allows the public to interact directly with law enforcement and can help guide them to which person they should reach out to within the department depending on the situation. Social Media is an excellent way to connect sheriff’s deputies with their citizens. Common platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and others can help sheriff’s departments announce imperative information to the citizens they serve. Since county authorities are in charge of handling county jails, the Stackbench UCP Sheriff app includes a category regarding inmate information. This way, citizens can look up specific inmates to see if certain subjects remain incarcerated. Another helpful section is the permit section which allows sheriff’s departments to relate information to the public regarding acquiring gun permits. These are some of several, helpful categories in this particular application. A sheriff's department application can also bring sheriff’s department personnel together as apps can be a more effective way for law enforcement to connect with each other.

A Powerful Pocket Tool

Smartphones are in almost everyone’s pocket. It is for this reason that implementing a mobile app for sheriff’s departments is so effective. Presently, almost 70 percent of the population has a smartphone. That means most individuals have a smartphone and could easily use a sheriff's department app. The UCP Sheriff’s Department app is compatible with Android and iPhone platforms including the Apple Watch. This way, no matter what type of smart device an individual has, they can still provide information to local sheriff’s departments. When an individual has the ability to contact sheriff’s deputies through their phone directly, law enforcement response time decreases and crime may decrease. Furthermore, the sheriff’s department app from StackBench makes it possible for an individual to directly communicate with the proper law enforcement division. For instance, if a citizen has a tip regarding local burglaries, they can use the mobile app for the sheriff’s department to directly relate that information to the burglary division or proper detective within the sheriff’s department. Another advantageous feature of a sheriff’s department app is the GPS locator for the TIP function. For example, if someone uses the application to contact deputies but is unsure of where they are or does not know their exact location, a mobile app such as UCP Sheriff will show a GPS location to the law enforcement agency they are contacting. This alone is a powerful tool for both the reporting party and the sheriff’s department.

Peace of Mind

With a high probability of women becoming victims, it is important for women to be situationally aware at all times. One of the most effective attributes of safety is confidence. Confidence and peace of mind can go hand in hand. Connecting and contacting local sheriff’s deputies instantly can provide peace of mind and build trust and confidence. Confidence is empowering. By using a law enforcement app, deputies can respond to calls much more quickly. This is invaluable for any community but especially for deputies who on average cover vast areas of land. Time is of the essence at all times. When citizens see more positive results, they trust their deputies more. Women do not have to fear being victimized when they can send live videos, photos, and messages directly to their local sheriff’s department. A sheriff’s department mobile app is the answer to one of the biggest challenges rural agencies face. With the ability to connect directly with citizens, sheriff’s departments can overcome these obstacles. Empower yourself and enhance community safety with the Sheriff App by StackBench. Take charge of your safety by staying informed and connected. Contact us today, download the Sheriff App, and join us in building a safer and more confident community for everyone.