By Josh Dean, CEO, Audiebant
Despite a concerted recruitment drive over the last couple of years, police forces have witnessed government cuts that have driven 6,000 officers away from frontline crime fighting. It’s making it harder than ever to have the right resources to keep our streets, buildings and events and people safe. In the case of staff shortages, where can the police and other emergency services look when working to enhance their emergency response capabilities and general communications with the wider public?
Keeping the public safe
Ideally, our police officers should be on the front line. Their presence on British high streets not only serves to identify and tackle incidences of crime but provides reassurance to the public that they are moving through a safe space. Though this reassurance doesn’t necessarily need to come from the officers themselves.
Zoned mass communication systems can be installed in town centres and areas of high footfall to deliver reassurance messages to the public, such as reminders about police presence and general safety tips.
Between these messages, music or information can be played to encourage a positive atmosphere. Away from the high street and in the context of local events, crowd control measures are important to manage the flow of cars and where they are parked.
These systems can be deployed to send warning messages to people to move cars to more appropriate spaces, thereby assisting the police in their efforts.
This technology can extend beyond non-emergency situations and even support the police in emergency scenarios. In an example incident of a terror attack in one section of a high street, people in the immediate vicinity can be told to evacuate the area as quickly as possible. But this instruction won’t apply to those who are further away from the danger. The level of threat is dependent on where they are situated.
As per guidance by the National Protective Security Authority and Counter Terrorism Policing, solutions should have the capability to deliver different messages to different zones. Those who are further from the danger can be instructed to stay well clear of the affected area or told to walk in the opposite direction to remain a safe distance away. These capabilities serve to support the police in their efforts to keep the general public protected from potential threats.
In the context of police presence at large-scale events, such as in and around stadiums, the Martyn’s Law which has recently been introduced in parliament will require venues to incorporate tools such as zoned mass communication systems to help protect the public and staff. With the recommended guidance for this technology, police can be supported in keeping significant numbers of people safe from potential threats.
Alerting the authorities
Lockdowns are often measures deployed to keep people safe within a building, such as a school, college or university, when a hostile intruder is in the vicinity or other criminal activity may be taking place. In these situations, everyone needs to be aware of their roles and responsibilities via training and rehearsals, with procedures recorded in an incident response plan. With access to technology that can deliver AI-driven text-to-speech capabilities, clear, calm and concise messaging can be played to people in the building. But one other crucial step in the response process is to alert the emergency services or other relevant organisations to respond to an incident.
Zoned mass communication technology can automatically send lockdown notifications and information to the relevant authorities during emergency situations, ensuring they arrive at the scene in the shortest possible time. This is crucial as figures from this year show significant disparities in police response times to 999 calls, with forces struggling with resourcing. Where the police need to be on a site quickly, it’s this type of technology that alerts them to the danger at the soonest possible moment.
Another example scenario of where the police or emergency services need to be notified quickly is where a lone person, such as a worker, gets into danger in a remote location. With numerous rural areas in the UK lacking sufficient mobile coverage, it isn’t always simple for someone to make an emergency call. In this situation, a mobile app can alert the police or other designated contacts if the person is in trouble, making use of geolocation technology to send out an accurate location marker to ensure they can be found and supported.
A vital lifeline to support public safety efforts
In a world where police resources are increasingly stretched, zoned mass communication systems offer a vital lifeline to support public safety efforts. While the presence of officers on the streets remains crucial, advanced communication systems, automated alerts and AI-driven solutions provide valuable assistance in keeping communities secure. And this technology can be applied to numerous scenarios, such as buildings, streets or events. As law enforcement continues to evolve, integrating technology into crime prevention and emergency response will be key to ensuring public safety.
