New police app to keep women and girls protected in Wiltshire
Unsafe areas across the county can now be flagged to officers
Last updated 7th Sep 2021
Wiltshire Police is welcoming a new app, which it hopes will help crackdown on issues around safety for local residents - particularly women and girls.
The pilot for 'Streetsafe' was launched on Thursday 2 September by the Government, with support from the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
People can use the app to report areas where they feel unsafe.
How does it work?
The tool will enable residents to anonymously drop a pin onto a map and describe any worries regarding safety, including behavioural or environmental factors.
These could range from a poorly-lit walkway, to instances of public harassment, and will mean concerns can be raised with police whether or not a crime has been committed.
The information will be used alongside other key data by Wiltshire Police, to deliver improved wellbeing and safety for communities.
'Our aim is always to prevent crimes such as sexual assaults'
While it has not been designed to report crime, officers are encouraging females to report crimes such as sexual harassment through existing channels.
Det Supt Sarah Robbins, Wiltshire Police lead for violence against women and girls, said: “At Wiltshire Police we are striving every day to make our streets safer for everyone in our communities.
“The StreetSafe pilot will enable us to improve our understanding and intelligence picture around the concerns of the public and where they don’t feel safe which will help us form a better response.
“Our aim is always to prevent crimes such as sexual assaults before they happen, but when this isn’t possible we ensure support for victims is a top priority".