LTE  |  2020-04-30

Motorola Solutions Provides New Features to its Pronto Mobile Solution to Help Police Forces Practice Social Distancing

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

Police forces across the UK to benefit from new tools designed to safely engage and protect the public

As a result of the urgent need to protect the safety of the public, alongside demand from UK police forces to be able to do so while respecting social distancing, Motorola Solutions is now offering new Pronto mobile applications to allow engagement with the public, whilst respecting 2 metres of distance, with the first going live last week.

The new social distancing guidance that came into effect in March 2020 focuses on protecting the public and reducing the spread of coronavirus through the banning of large public gatherings in the UK. Police officers face challenges in enforcing these measures using current resources and tools, which are not yet aligned with the new legislation, as well as ensuring this is done within a safe distance to limit the spread of COVID-19.

As a result of frequent consultations with 19 police forces across the UK who are already using Pronto, with a focus on protecting the public, Motorola Solutions has developed the following new applications:

  • COVID-19 Ticket App: Available now, this application for ticket issuing enables the Police to continue to engage and work with the public whilst respecting physical distancing guidelines. Replacing the need for physical paper tickets ensures that engagement can be done quickly and efficiently, without the need for paper or close physical contact. Automated workflows enable local authorities to process payments where necessary.
  • Remote Telephone Statements: Development is being fast-tracked to allow police officers to carry out statements remotely from anywhere using their handheld device. The witness can also be in any location as long as they have access to a telephone, email and internet.

Motorola Solutions is diverting resources to ensure this development is delivered urgently to police forces and at no cost to them. The company realises how critical these capabilities are to support the police and ensure the safety of the public right now in this current crisis.

“Like every police force up and down the country, under the new Coronavirus measures we are patrolling the streets with the main objective of protecting the public to save lives. To assist with following the new rules, we have adopted the 4 E approach. We will Engage the public first, Explain the need to be at home, and Encourage them to return home. As a last resort, and only when absolutely necessary, we will Enforce the rules by means of a fixed penalty. We welcome solutions like the new Pronto mobile policing features developed by Motorola Solutions and commend the company for its fast turnaround and adaptability in this unusual situation,” said Dave Hannan, Chief Inspector at Lancashire Police.

“Mobile working is revolutionising the way our officers work, enabling them to be more visible in the communities they serve and also to stay connected without having to return to the police station. The devices can perform a variety of critical functions including access to the Pronto application which have been made possible thanks to our partner Motorola Solutions. During the current COVID-19 pandemic, mobile working for our frontline and community officers is a valuable asset as they are able to spend more time on patrol and engaging with their communities”, said Superintendent Craig Smith, Police Scotland.

“We know the emergency services need to adapt and adjust their ways of working on the frontline, and we’ve added features to our Pronto software to allow them to alter their work processes to respect social distancing measures for the safety of both the public and the force. Safety remains our top priority and we are committed more than ever to develop new innovations to support frontline efforts in these difficult times”, said Fergus Mayne, country manager and sales director UK and Ireland at Motorola Solutions.

Pronto digital policing application software was originally developed in collaboration with police officers in the early 2000s and has now become a leading digital policing application. It is being used by 19 police forces and over 50,000 officers across the UK.

Please, note these offers are only applicable for existing Pronto customers