Force launches new smartphone app to share real-time information

A new smartphone app has been developed by the City of London Police enabling it to share real-time information with Londoners, including crowd control street-level crime details.

Researched by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and developed jointly with the force, it will be free to download from the Apple App Store in time for the start of the Olympic Games.

The app offers a host of general day-to-day useful features about City of London Police. Anyone installing it on their smartphone will get access to:

•Street-level crime information, navigable maps showing police stations, London Underground transport links and many other points of interest;

•Links to the latest City of London Police news and live @CityPolice twitter feed, plus the force’s website;

•Useful information about the City of London Police, including its community policing teams and role as police service lead for tackling economic crime; and

•Information on how to be prepared in the event of an emergency.

There is also an additional key feature that will help City of London Police to assess and monitor crowd density during large-scale events – although this only works when people who have installed the app agree to share their location data.

When the force ‘switches on’ this crowd sourcing capability during big events or gatherings, people with the app installed receive a message asking if they are prepared to opt into the service. People who agree will share their location. This information is used anonymously by the City of London Police to provide greater clarity on the movement of crowds during events and will allow the force to send relevant warning and informing messages to people through the app, on Twitter and through the force website.

City of London Police Assistant Commissioner Frank Armstrong said: ‘This app is packed with useful features and is also about helping to keep people safe.

“It is an excellent way for people to learn more about the force. It will also help the City of London Police to monitor crowds during large events and to keep people informed. This really is about police and the public working together for our mutual benefit.

“I have no doubt it will prove to be a valuable tool to guide our policing response during events or emergencies – but we can only do this with the public’s trust and help.”

The app has been developed as part of a four-year European project called Socionical by three partners – German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), ETH Zurich and LSE. Socionical is funded by the European Union and aims to help scientists and policy makers better understand how the applied use of new technology can benefit society.

Professor Eve Mitleton-Kelly from the LSE has been involved with the app since its inception.

She said: “This is a tremendous breakthrough in the use of technology that can be of real and practical benefit to society. It was initially designed to be used for safe evacuation following a major incident, but has proved its worth in peaceful but crowded events by making them more enjoyable.”

Sergeant Rebecca Walker, from the City of London Police’s emergency planning department, has been working closely with the LSE Socionical project.

“We have taken into account people’s concern about legal data protection and privacy issues. Personal mobile numbers are not collected and the data is sent anonymously,” said Sgt Walker.

“We’re certainly not tracking individuals – we are purely assessing crowd density and movement. We want people to feel safe and comfortable when using the app in the City and to know they’re helping the police – and in turn that we can help them.

“The app also had to meet stringent EU regulations on privacy.”

A version of the app for Android smartphones is currently being developed and will be introduced soon.