Mobile devices help tackle street crime

Castle Morpeth Borough Council integrates mobile data with operational systems

Castle Morpeth Borough Council is integrating mobile data with its core operational systems to tackle street crime.

The technology is allowing the local authority to record incidents such as vandalism, graffiti, abandoned vehicles and fly tipping faster and more accurately.

Castle Morpeth’s 220 street wardens are using mobile devices to record incidents. The information is sent via GPRS to a warden’s database and then through to the council’s customer relationship management (CRM) and geographical information application.

‘In the past, members of the public would phone the council perhaps a few days after noticing an incident and it would be logged as a complaint,’ said Peter Almond, IT implementation officer.

Castle Morpeth chose NDL-Metascybe to integrate the systems. The vendor used its Active Windows Integrator toolset to web-enable and increase the reach of back-office and front-end application data.

Mobile data is stored in a directory on a local area network which triggers NDL-Metascybe’s integration software.

‘It updates the CRM system, just as an operator would in a call centre,’ said Almond. ‘The CRM system sends emails to the appropriate people for action. Our own people are out and about and can spot something and enter it. Within a minute of hitting the send button, a report is sent. We have removed several days from the process with the new system.’

The council is extending the system to pest control officers. ‘It will remove the paper trail and duplication,’ said Almond.