The phone in your pocket has 100,000 times more processing power than any of the Apollo 11 mission’s computers. It’s no surprise, then, that public safety agencies leverage that power to create a truly mobile workforce. Yet, with the different technology options available, what apps do officers really need in the field?
“It’s important to note the difference between mobile products available on a mobile data terminal (MDT) versus actual apps you run on a smartphone,” says Simon Welfare-Jervis, Technical Director of Solutions Advisory for Hexagon’s Safety & Infrastructure division and former head of strategic analytics at Calgary Police Service. “Each has its place and purpose, and each is important for a successful policing strategy.”
The value of the smartphone
Unlike browser-based solutions available on MDTs, apps create true mobility as smartphones can travel on an officer’s body rather than being tied to a vehicle. Before the availability of smartphones, officers on foot, bicycle, or horseback had no way to quickly access data to advance an investigation in the field.
Now, millions of officers worldwide have added department-issued smartphones to their toolset. The added mobility benefits the entire department, from beat officers to detectives and top brass.
In the field, officers can use a smartphone to record a citizen’s report, show potential witnesses a photo of a wanted criminal or suspect, use the device’s native map application for guidance, and make calls outside of the car. Mobile devices and applications also free officers from the confines of a building and give them more time and visibility in the field — and engagement with the community.
Detectives can use mobile devices to communicate securely and limit administrative burden. Apps allow them to send and receive search warrants quickly, take photographs and share them with other investigators, and even sign and receive documents securely to speed the investigative process.
Smartphones can also be used to securely connect to police-only services for easy access to confidential data and documents without returning to the precinct.
Developing public safety apps
The natural next step in streamlining mobile police work is the development of public safety applications.
When developing actual apps for law enforcement, Welfare-Jervis noted three factors that increase the likelihood of an app contributing to policing success:
- Self-service /intuitive interface;
- common day-to-day workflows; and
- computer-aided dispatch (CAD) and records management system (RMS) integration in a single app.
Self-service
Apps are designed to be intuitive and use the built-in functionality of a mobile device. Users expect all apps to behave similarly; they have been conditioned through smartphone usage to swipe, zoom, and select from the main menu with a single tap. A public safety app that leverages those common, intuitive behaviors will have a shorter training arc since users are already accustomed to the functionality.
Many tech-savvy users will be able to train themselves, particularly if they already have some experience and familiarity with smartphone apps. A well-designed app behaves like other apps to which users are accustomed; for instance, a favorite shopping app or game. Because of this, new users are quick to onboard through self-training. Not only does it allow users to navigate the app with confidence, but it also reduces the amount of time spent training personnel within police departments.
CAD and RMS within one app
A public safety app is not intended to be a fully functional CAD or RMS solution, but it must possess certain capabilities of the “parent software.”
“The app isn’t intended to mirror what’s available on the MDT or on a desktop in front of a dispatcher,” notes Welfare-Jervis, adding that a CAD app performs several key functions for optimal mobile situational awareness and safety. They include:
- Sharing live, map-based data;
- sharing callers, events, and units;
- delivering field updates to dispatch and other users in real-time.
Similarly, the RMS app isn’t intended to do everything the in-house solution can. But it should allow field data capture, support the creation of a field report, and record witness accounts.
One app can house multiple solutions. For example, HxGN OnCall Mobile, Hexagon’s mobile app, supports HxGN OnCall Mobile Responder and HxGN OnCall Records Mobile Patrol. Mobile Responder is the smartphone extension of Hexagon’s CAD solution, and Records Mobile Patrol is the on-the-streets RMS tool.
“Once you download the free app from the app store, you can access either or both of the products through your police-issued smartphone, depending on your agency’s licenses,” Welfare-Jervis explains.
Common day-to-day workflow
While an app works differently than the software installed on an MDT (swiping instead of punching buttons), the overall hierarchy of tasks and processes should feel very familiar to officers in the field.
“A common day-to-day workflow is essential in an app’s success,” says Welfare-Jervis. “Along with shortening the learning curve, the officer should be performing the same functions with the software in the field as they would in the car or back at the precinct, rather than establishing a different set of processes. The app shouldn’t make you think about which way to do it based on where you are.”
Goodbye to radios?
While smartphones and public safety apps can enhance officer safety and efficiency in the field, experts caution that there’s no perfect mobile solution. Cell phone batteries must remain charged, and phones are not constructed with the same rugged resistance to water, heat, and trauma as a police-issued radio. In addition, cell towers may be the first piece of the communication matrix to break down in a natural disaster. Still, the smartphone is rapidly becoming an integral part of officers’ toolkits for success, and it’s vital that they have the right apps for the job.
Want to learn more about HxGN OnCall Mobile? Visit Hexagon’s Safety & Infrastructure division.
