When we have been out and about in our communities, various residents have complained about how they experiencing difficulties contacting the Police when their matter is not an emergency, and experience delays with answering calls at the Force Control Room.
The Force Control Room in Northampton, answers both 101 and 999 calls and calls are prioritised on threat, harm and risk. However we recognise that some residents may prefer more convenient means to record something with us, but with busy lives, do not have time to wait.
A new mobile app was launnched yesterday, Friday, March 22, to help the public access policing services and information.
The app, called Police.UK, mirrors the functionality of the website of the same name, which is the official national website for policing services and information.
The public will be able to use a number of services within the app e.g. to report non-emergency crimes, access the wider services available on Single Online Home (the national police website platform which Northamptonshire Police website is on), and look at neighbourhood policing information as is available via the Your Area pages.
Police.UK has been developed by the National Police Chiefs' Council's (NPCC) Digital Public Contact (DPC) programme, which runs the national platform on behalf of 38 out of 43 forces, and has been assured by the Police Digital Service.
Senior Responsible Officer for the DPC, Deputy Chief Constable Simon Megicks said: "The app gives the public a quicker route to the services and information we know they want to use.
"Most people use apps in the daily lives and we wanted to ensure policing was in line with the expectation, making what we already offer more accessible. The public still have a choice of using the phone, website and in some forces social media and live chat to contact us.
"This is a new digital channel and I would encourage all officers and staff to make the public aware that it's available, and give them the choice. Please do download it on your phones and show them how it works when you are out on the streets or at community meetings.
"For a number of years now the public have reported offences online into our control rooms, having the app available is our way of evolving their experience and being where we are needed digitally and giving them a more seamless experience."
The app is available to download via both the Google Play and iOS App stores.
PCSO Matt Taylor
Towcester & Rural Neighbourhood Team | 