HOW TEXT MESSAGING CAN REVOLUTIONISE THE

POLICE FORCE

C o m m u n i c a t i o n h a s a l w a y s b e e n k e y t o r u n n i n g a n e f f e c t i v e p o l i c e f o r c e .

F ro m t h e p i o n e e r i n g e f fo r t s o f t h e B ow S t re e t R u n n e r s t o t h e h i g h l y - o r g a n i s e d m a c h i n e t h a t i s t h e m o d e r n f o r c e , t h e p o l i c e h a ve a l wa y s n e e d e d t o m a i n t a i n a d i a l o g u e w i t h t h e p o p u l a t i o n a r o u n d t h em. Th e p u b l ic needs to repor t c r imes t o t h e m , a n d t h e y n e e d t o f e e d b a c k i n f o r m a t i o n t o t h e p u b l i c i n o r d e r t o c a t c h c r i m i n a l s .

The effect iveness of their communicat ion s y s t e m s i s o f t e n w h a t m a k e s t h e d i f ference between catch ing an offender a n d l e t t i n g t h e m g e t a w a y w i t h i t . I t ’ s not a quest ion of what the most super ior fo r m o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n i s , a s e a c h h a s

i t s m e r i t s . E m a i l i s i d e a l f o r r e p o r t i n g n o n - e m e r g e n cy, h i g h l y d e t a i l e d i n c i d e n t s , w h e r e a s t h e p h o n e i s c o n v e n i e n t f o r prov id ing ongoing updates on a developing s i t u a t i o n . W h a t m a t t e rs i n s t e a d i s h a v i n g l o t s o f u s e f u l o p t i o n s a v a i l a b l e t o t h e m a t a l l t i m es – o n e o f w h i c h s h o u l d b e t h e t ex t m es sa g e .

Te x t m e s s a g e s a r e f a s t , s e c u r e , s u b t l e , s imple and re l iab le – and those aren ’ t the only qual i t ies they have to offer. Preferable t o o t h e r fo r m s o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n i n m a ny c i r c u m s t a n c e s , t h e y c a n p r o v e t o b e a h i g h l y u s e fu l a d d i t i o n t o a p o l i c e fo rc e ’ s a r m o u r y.

1

M u c h i n t h e s a m e w a y t h a t a t e x t l i n e w o r k s f o r S M S m a r k e t i n g a n d b u s i n e s s t e x t m e s s a g i n g s y s t e m s , t h i s s e r v i c e w o r k s b e s t a s a t w o - w a y c h a n n e l , w i t h i n fo r m a t i o n f l ow i n g b o t h wa y s b e t we e n t h e p o l i c e a n d t h e g e n e ra l p u b l i c .

B re a k i n g t h e fo l l ow i n g p o i n t s i n t o t h es e t w o c a t e g o r i e s , l e t ’ s r u n t h r o u g h t h e v a r i o u s w a y s i n w h i c h a t e x t m e s s a g e prov ider can a id the force in keep ing the p u b l i c sa fe .

How Text Messaging Can Revolut ionise Pol ic ing

Publ ic Contact ing The Pol iceAvoid Drawing Attent ionT h e re a re c e r t a i n s i t u a t i o n s w h e re a p e rs o n m a y n e e d t o c a l l t h e p o l i c e , b u t re a l i s t i c a l l y c a n ’ t .T h ey m a y b e d e a l i n g w i t h a n a b u s i ve p a r t n e r w h o c o u l d o v e r h e a r t h e p h o n e c a l l . T h e y might be surrounded by drug users who they ’d be cal l ing about . They could be within earshot o f a v i o l e n t , ra c i s t o r o t h e r w i s e a g g re s s i v e p e rs o n w h o t h ey n e e d t o re p o r t . T h ey c o u l d even be in a s i tu at ion as ser ious as hostage-t a k i n g .W h a t e v e r t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , p e o p l e s o m e t i m e s n e e d t o c o n t a c t t h e p o l i c e w i t h o u t d r a w i n g a t t e n t i o n t o t h e m s e l v e s . W h e r e a s a p h o n e c a l l c a n b e a r i s k y o r downr ight implausib le opt ion , a text message c a n o f f e r a f a r m o r e s u b t l e m e a n s o f re p o r t i n g a c r i m e .O n e o f t h e m o s t e f f i c i e n t wa y s o f a l l ow i n g p e o p l e t o d o t h i s i s by h a v i n g a k ey wo rd o n a n S M S p r o v i d e r ’ s s h o r t c o d e s y s t e m – f o r i n s t a n c e ‘ Tex t H E L P t o 87 0 07 ’ – t h a t p e o p l e c a n a u t o m a t i c a l l y s e n d a t t h e c l i c k o f a but ton . Potent ia l l y, the i r phone ’s GPS s igna l c o u l d t h e n d o t h e res t o f t h e wo r k fo r t h e m .

Rapid EvidenceC o n t a c t i n g t h e p o l i c e c a n b e d o n e i n a n i n s t a n t . S e n d i n g e v i d e n c e t o t h e m c a n a l s o b e d o n e ra p i d l y t o o – b u t n o t w i t h t ra d i t i o n a l m e t h o d s .We ’ re n o t re fe r r i n g t o o p t i o n s s u c h a s a v e r b a l a c c o u n t , w h i c h c a n t e c h n i c a l l y c o u n t a s ev i d e n c e . I n t h i s i n s t a n c e , we a re t a l k i n g a b o u t h a r d , s o l i d , c o n c re t e p ro o f o f a c r i m e h a p p e n i n g .That cou ld inc lude an image of a person spray ing g raf f i t i on a pub l ic wa l l ; photos o f p e o p l e t res p a s s i n g o n a p r i va t e s i t e ; o r a r e p o r t o f a d r u g d e a l e r a n d u s e r d i s c u s s i n g a d e a l . A l l o f t h i s c o u l d b e sent by SMS to the po l ice in a hear tbeat s o t h a t t h ey c a n s u r vey a n d a s s es s t h e s i t u a t i o n w h i l e i t ’ s s t i l l h a p p e n i n g . S u c h a fu n c t i o n wo u l d b e p a r t i c u l a r l y u s e fu l fo r c e r t a i n i n d i v i d u a l s a n d b u s i n e s s e s w h o m a y n e e d t o u s e i t m o re re g u l a r l y t h a n m o s t . F o r i n s t a n c e , f a r m e r s a n d o t h e r s l i v i n g i n r u ra l a re a s o f t e n n e e d t o r e p o r t t h e n o i s e a n d c o m m o t i o n o f n e a r by i l l e g a l p a r t i es .

2

On The Spot UpdatesP e o p l e a r e c u r r e n t l y a b l e t o u p d a t e t h e p o l i c e o n a n o n g o i n g s i t u a t i o n t h ro u g h a p h o n e c a l l . Te x t i n g d o e s n ’ t n e e d t o b e a c h a l l e n g e t o t h a t p ro c e s s : i n s t e a d , i t c a n b e a n a c c o m p a n i m e n t .F o r i n s t a n c e , i m a g i n e a s i t u a t i o n w h e re a g ro u p o f p e o p l e a re t r y i n g t o b re a k i n t o a b u i l d i n g a n d t h ey a re s p o t t e d b y a c o u p l e of passers-by. Neither of them want to a ler t t h e b u r g l a rs , b u t t h ey n e e d t o c o n t a c t t h e p o l i c e .W i t h a n S M S m es sa g i n g s e r v i c e , o n e c o u l d r u n b a c k t o t h e h o u s e a n d c a l l f ro m a sa fe p l a c e t h e r e , w h i l e t h e o t h e r s e n d s o n - t h e - s p o t S M S a l e r t s o f t h e o n g o i n g s i t u a t i o n t o t h e s a m e p o l i c e d e p a r t m e n t . I f the two co-operated, they could even use a number given to them by the 999 operator t o s e n d s u c h m e s s a g e s d i r e c t l y t o t h e o f f i c e rs t ra ve l l i n g t owa rd s t h e s c e n e .On a separate note, people could also fol low up on in i t ia l repor ts by text ing informat ion t h e y f o r g o t t o m e n t i o n o v e r t h e p h o n e , thereby not tak ing up another ca l le r ’s s lot u n n e c es sa r i l y.

Convenience for Deaf & Mute PeopleF o r o bv i o u s re a s o n s , i t c a n b e fa r m o re d i f f i c u l t f o r d e a f a n d m u t e p e o p l e t o communicate over the phone to a po l ice d e p a r t m e n t .

MS sufferers , s t roke v ic t ims , peop le who suffer f rom severe anx iet y prob lems and a n y o n e e l s e w h o s e h e a r i n g o r s p e e c h m a y b e i m p a i r e d i n t h e m o m e n t c o u l d a l s o f i n d c a l l i n g a n i m p l a u s i b l e o p t i o n , e v e n w h e n r e l a y s e r v i c e s a n d te lecommunicat ion dev ices for the deaf a re a va i l a b l e .F o r s u c h p e o p l e , t e x t i n g c a n b e t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n b e i n g a b l e t o c o n t a c t t h e p o l i c e a n d n o t . T h a t ’ s w h y s e v e ra l f o r c e s h a v e a d o p t e d a v i r t u a l mobi le number for their distr ict , a l lowing p e o p l e t o re p o r t e m e r g e n c i e s v i a S M S message, as well as other non-emergency s i t u a t i o n s .

3

'Mobi l ise ' Neighbourhood WatchA l t h o u g h w e i m a g i n e t h a t p o l i c e c o u l d l i t e ra l l y m o b i l i s e a N e i g h b o u r h o o d Wa t c h f o r c e ( i f o n e e x i s t e d i n t h e i r d i s t r i c t ) , t h i s i s n o t w h a t we ’ re re fe r r i n g t o i n t h i s i n s t a n c e .Instead , we ’ re ta lk ing about the ab i l i t y of t h e p o l i c e t o s e n d o u t i n fo r m a t i o n t o t h e g e n e r a l p u b l i c t h a t c o u l d h e l p t h e m c o - o p e ra t e o n a p p re h e n d i n g c r i m i n a l s .A k e y e x a m p l e h e r e w o u l d b e i n t h e a f t e r m a t h o f a n a r m e d ro b b e r y. I f p o l i c e h a ve C CT V fo o t a g e o f a p e rs o n ’ s i d e n t i t y, they cou ld text a l ink to that image to a l l c i t i z e n s w h o h a v e s i g n e d u p t o t h e S M S s e r v i c e i n t h e i r a r e a a n d u r g e t h e m t o t ex t b a c k w i t h a l o c a t i o n i f t h ey s p o t t h e p e rs o n .As with the f i rst point in this l ist , a keyword c o u l d b e u s e d v i a a s h o r t c u t t o m a k e t h i s s y s t e m m o r e e f f i c i e n t , f o r i n s t a n c e ‘ Te x t S P OT T E D t o 8 7 0 0 7 ’ . I t ’ s a l s o w o r t h ment ioning that such a ser v ice could be a fa r more cost-ef fect ive way of catch ing a suspect on the run than, say, sending out a h e l i c o p t e r c rew.F i n a l l y , i t c o u l d a l s o o f f e r n i g h t - t i m e off icers an oppor tuni t y to schedule a ler ts f o r m o r e s o c i a b l e h o u r s d u r i n g t h e fo l l o w i n g d a y, ra t h e r t h a n r e c o r d i n g t h e i n fo r m a t i o n a n d r i s k i n g a d a y t i m e wo r k e r n o t s p o t t i n g i t e a r l y o n .

Rel iable UpdatesM e m b e r s o f t h e p u b l i c w h o h a v e b e e n arrested, have been a witness to a cr ime or have been contacted for some other reason by the pol ice force often have to appear ata s t a t i o n fo r q u es t i o n i n g . T h ey m a y l a t e r a l s o h a ve t o a t t e n d c o u r t .

T h e d a t e s , t i m e s a n d o t h e r d e t a i l s o f s u c h m e e t i n g s c o u l d b e c o n v e y e d b y p h o n e ; b u t t h e p e rs o n m i g h t n o t b e a b l e t o a n swe r. T h ey c o u l d b e c o m m u n i c a t e d v i a e m a i l ; b u t s o m a n y p e o p l e r e c e i v e c o u n t l es s e m a i l s eve r y d a y t h a t i t h a s a h i g h c h a n c e o f b e i n g l o s t i n t h e m i x .A l t e r n a t i v e l y, t h e y c o u l d b e s e n t t h e information via a text message that would g o d i r e c t l y t o t h e p h o n e t h e p e r s o n i s l i k e l y c a r r y i n g – a n d , i f n o t , t h e p h o n e t h a t w i l l b e wa i t i n g fo r t h e m w h e n t h ey p ick i t up later on . I t ’s a far more re l iab le m e t h o d t h a n t h e o t h e r t w o a n d w o r t h u s i n g a t l e a s t a s a b a c k - u p .

Aler t Emergency Ser vicesI t ’ s n o t j u s t t h e g e n e ra l p u b l i c w h o t h e po l ice could send informat ion to , as text messaging could improve communicat ion b e t we e n va r i o u s e m e r g e n cy s e r v i c es a s we l l .There are many s i tuat ions where not one, but two or even more emergency services are urgent ly needed . I f a person sends a text to one, that message could be easi ly for warded onto depar tments used by the o t h e r s , t h e re by a l e r t i n g t h e a m b u l a n c e , f i r e , h e l i c o p t e r r e s c u e , l i f e b o a t o r w h a t eve r o t h e r s e r v i c e i s i m m e d i a t e l y re q u i re d .

4

Pol ice Contact ing The Publ ic

T h e r e ’ s n o S M S p r o v i d e r U K - b a s e d o r o t h e r w i s e w h o c a n h e l p y o u f u l f i l a l l o f t h es e b e n e f i t s a n d u s es a s e f fe c t i ve l y a s Fa s t s m s c a n .W e a r e l e a d e r s i n t h e f i e l d o f S M S s e r v i c e s , o p e r a t i n g i n t h i s i n d u s t r y s i n c e 2 0 0 2 w i t h a b u s i n es s m o d e l t h a t ’ s b e e n o n g o i n g s i n c e 1 9 9 7.

O u r v i s i o n h a s a l w a y s b e e n t o c o m b i n e t h e p o t e n t i a l o f S M S w i t h s u p e r b o r g a n i s a t i o n a l s k i l l s t o c re a t e a s e r v i c e t h a t a n yo n e c o u l d u s e , a t a re a s o n a b l e p r i c e a n d w i t h h i g h q u a l i t y s u p p o r t a va i l a b l e a t a l l t i m es . We b e l i eve t h a t we ’ ve a c h i eve d t h a t v i s i o n .

Our ser v ice is :• S imple to use – no sof tware is needed , just an in ternet connect ion . You can a l s o c o n f i g u re yo u r v i r t u a l m o b i l e n u m b e r s o t h a t a ny m es sa g es g o d i re c t l y t o yo u r p h o n e .

• Q u i c k – we c a n o f fe r a 9 9 . 9 % g u a ra n t e e t h a t a l l m es s a g es w i l l re a c h t h e i r re c i p i e n t w i t h i n 1 0 s e c o n d s . I n re a l i t y, n e a r l y a l l m a k e i t w i t h i n s i x .

• Secur i t y – we have mul t ip le layers of phys ica l and cyber-secur i t y protect ing b o t h o u r o f f i c es a n d t h e m es sa g es s e n t ove r o u r sys t e m .

• Suppor t – our emai l suppor t and l ive chat ser v ices are avai lable 24/7, a lways t h e re t o h e l p yo u .

T h e re fo re , i f yo u r p o l i c e fo rc e wa n t s t o fo l l ow o t h e r s i n u s i n g a h i g h l y e f f i c i e n t , h i g h l y e f f e c t i v e o n l i n e S M S s e r v i c e , f e e l f r e e t o g e t i n t o u c h a n y t i m e a th e l p d es k @ fa s t s m s . c o . u k o r c a l l 0 8 0 0 9 5 4 5 3 0 5

5

Professional & Rel iable