Cheshire Police are using new live streaming and location tracker software during emergency calls to help safeguard women in danger, writes Belinda Ryan.
If a woman, or anyone in need of emergency help, dials 999 a call handler can use the GoodSAM software to text a message to the caller.
Once the caller clicks on the link their GPS location is immediately transmitted to the force control centre map.
A video and audio is also automatically live streamed from their phone so police can see what is happening.
Cheshire Chief Inspector Claire Jesson has been involved in bringing in the new technology in her role as SWAN (Safety of Women at Night) lead.
SWAN was formed following the murder of Sarah Everard, who was abducted, raped and murdered by serving Metropolitan police officer Wayne Couzen.
Chief Inspector Jesson said: “The whole idea of the GoodSAM app is it gives us an ability to see live time and record what’s going on with the victim.
“For example, if the victim rang 999 to report they were suffering domestic abuse, and perhaps being attacked at that time, then we would have a video of what is occurring there and then.
“So, they ring 999 as normal, we’ll send a link to the phone, they’ll click accept, and then we get access to their camera.”
Police say the service can be used if a woman is being followed at night or has any reason to fear for her safety.
“For example, a lady rings and says I’m being harassed outside a nightclub, two in the morning. Feeling really frightened.
“She can give us live time footage of what’s going on,” said Chief Inspector Jesson.
“It takes a lot of pressure off the victims, because if they’re in a position where they couldn’t talk, or if they’re in a position where they were too upset to be able to communicate, we can see what’s happening live time, which is brilliant for us – and also there is a potential for capturing offenders.”
Cheshire Police is the only force in the North West to be using GoodSAM in this format at present.
North West Ambulance Service is already using it for locating and assessing medical emergencies.
Chief Inspector Jesson added: “I think the service we provide to victims is definitely going to be far more enhanced, because we can see what’s going on.”
The force control centre can also send a link to police officers on their way to a call so they can see what they are going to.
And the videos can be used in court as evidence – although Cheshire Police has not used this in a court case yet as it has only just introduced the system.
Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer put in the bid to the Home Office for the SWAN funding.
He said: “It’s about addressing the fear that some women have on our streets at night and this enables us, as a force, to be able to say to females in particular, we’re doing everything we can to make you feel safe on our streets.”
He said the police had used it in other areas of their work to good effect, “but the real focus is to deal with the safety of women at night”.
Mr Dwyer added: “This is not an answer in itself, it’s a step in the right direction.
“My aim, in introducing this through the government funding, is to ensure the females in this county in particular realise that we’re doing everything we can to make them feel safe.
“They need to understand – A, that they should be feeling safer and B, the complaints that they make to us will be dealt with seriously.”
Brilliant use of Technology.