By paNOW Staff

Police service launches new mobile app

Jan 10, 2018 | 4:00 PM

The Prince Albert Police Service (PAPS) is now using mobile technology to help the public connect with the police. The city police department officially launched a mobile app, developed by MobilePD, which connects all PAPS online services into one portal for handheld devices.

The free app also offers easy access to the service’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts, and allows users to be immediately notified of Amber Alerts and other urgent messages from the police force. When the development of the app was announced last September, Police Chief Troy Cooper said it would also provide an easy way for residents to see what crimes had occurred near them through the department’s interactive crime map.

“For the average person who wants to know what their neighbourhood is like or what their block is like, they can just plug in their own block and take a look,” Cooper said. “People who have an interest in a specific area or a specific crime…they can look on the application and filter down to locations, or filter down to certain offences or dates or trends.”

Police spokesperson Alanna Adamko said the app includes the police department’s online reporting tool, which is gaining popularity among Prince Albert residents. In 2016, the police department’s online reporting tool feature was used 311 times, while 478 crimes were reported online in 2017 – an increase of 54 per cent.

“It’s a convenience for residents to be able to report now directly from their phones,” Adamko said. “If it’s an urgent emergency… please still call 911 directly.”

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The app includes other features, Adamko added, such as up-to-date listings of the police department’s most wanted criminals and missing person cases.

“It’s just a way for our mobile users to be able to engage with the Prince Albert Police Service,” Adamko said. “Just search ‘Prince Albert Police Service’ on the Apple Store or the Google Play Store for Android.”

The app can also be found by visiting the police service website, Adamko said.

panow@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @princealbertnow