Lisburn and Castlereagh police pilot new ‘Virtual Officer Attendance’
A new Virtual Officer Attendance pilot is being put to the test by Lisburn and Castlereagh Police.
The pilot is a new video-call service that will be offered to victims of crime as an alternative to telephone resolution or in-person attendance.
In order to conduct the pilot process, a ‘Virtual Officer Attendance Hub’ has been set up in Castlereagh Police Station, with the team consisting of three sergeants and 16 constables from across the country, who have all received in-depth training on how the new process will be implemented.
The service will be available to victims of crime where there is no immediate threat, risk or harm that requires officers to attend in-person. Instead, officers will be able to conduct enquiries and take statements during the video-call.
Victims will also be able to provide digital evidence such as videos, photographs or screenshots via a platform titled Box or via GoodSAM, the system used to support the roll-out of the Virtual Officer Attendance service.
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson of Local Policing commented: “Our Virtual Officer Attendance pilot is yet another example of working closely with our Information and Communications Services (ICS) department to utilise technology more to offer a wider range of ways to connect with victims of crime and the community that we serve.
"In a modern world, these options can be far more suitable for members of the public to access, as well as reducing demand on our frontline officers, allowing them to focus on other time-sensitive matters.
“Whilst aiming to improve the service we provide as an organisation to the public, this enhanced service in turn should also provide cost savings to our organisation, making us more responsive to our community needs.
"One simple example is rather than a police vehicle arriving at a victim’s house holding a minimum of two officers, just one officer will be needed for the Virtual Officer Attendance option with no travel time, petrol expense or other colleagues required.
"The pilot will serve to provide the project group with findings that will be reviewed with a view to the system being brought into the organisation permanently.”