How Rapid Video Response Benefits Policing and the Public

As the digital age is well and truly underway, we have entered a time of transition where more and more roles and tasks are being performed online. But this tectonic shift can be a challenge to become widely accepted. Whilst some industries are grappling with this change, some are realising the benefit of instant communication and its time and money saving effectiveness. Law enforcement and victim support is traditionally a face-to-face role, but as we uncover in this article, remote communication can benefit victims, officers and support staff for a number of reasons.

In a Cambridge Journal of Evidence-Based Policing study, a team of experts carried out an investigation into the effectiveness of Rapid Video Response (RVR) versus Business As Usual (BAU) when responding to domestic abuse calls. This was piloted by Kent Police, a large police force in the south-east of England.

In this article, we review the results of the Cambridge study, how Kent Police approach RVR and how to make RVR a part of the law enforcement toolkit.

 

The Results of the Cambridge Study

This study was conducted by randomly assigning callers to either a uniformed police officer on a video call or to a regular ‘Business As Usual’ officer, requiring the officer to travel to the victim.

The first most striking result shows that response to the victims was 656 times faster from the video call (3 minutes) compared to the deployment of an officer in a car (1969 minutes).

Not only was the response time quicker, the satisfaction of the victims was higher from the RVR at 89% compared to only 78% for BAU. The drop in dissatisfaction from the BAU group is potentially caused by the severe delays some victims experienced.

Unsurprisingly, due to the fast response times, RVR had a 50% increase in arrest rates compared to BAU.

 

Kent Police’s Approach

As featured in The Telegraph, Kent Police’s RVR allows officers to connect with victims through a secure video link rather than immediate in-person attendance. By doing so, officers can assess situations remotely and determine the appropriate course of action far quicker than an in-person officer. Victims receive guidance and reassurance within minutes, while officers are able to collect valuable visual information about the scene. The benefits of this system, however, go beyond quick response times. For victims, RVR provides an immediate link to help while reducing the potential anxiety and fear that can accompany an in-person police presence, particularly when perpetrators are nearby.

The Telegraph article also highlights that this pilot programme has had success in reducing pressure on police resources. Where once officers would have had to drive considerable distances, RVR allows for quick responses with minimal delay. In essence, it shifts the model from an “all hands on deck” response to a strategic deployment of resources.

 

Advantages of Rapid Video Response

Although video calling has yet to become a mainstay of response in law enforcement, it is evident that there are many benefits to both the police and the public they serve.

Public	Police
Increased satisfaction with local policing / law enforcement	Increased capacity
Increased confidence in policing and law enforcement	Increased ability to manage demand on policing services
Increased accessibility to law enforcement	Increased ability to engage with the community
	Reduced costs
	Increased operational effectiveness

 

Making Rapid Video Response Part of the Law Enforcement Toolkit

Many forms of engagement with the public by Law Enforcement Agencies can be supplemented, if not replaced, by online video interviews. If the results shown in the Rapid Video Response research were extrapolated across other types of crime and incidents we can only imagine the incredible way that it would help departments and agencies that are needing to do more for less.

With a society that has become more transient due to the nature of employment and leisure, the ability to remotely interview any witness or victim of any type of crime will rapidly lead to better investigative outcomes. Victims or witnesses can perform the interview in their own home at a time that suits them, instead of a law enforcement officer tying up their time to travel to and from their address.

The borderless nature of modern crime can also often lead to the need for departments and agencies to collaborate over distance. At least with remote video interviews, interested parties, such as intelligence or investigative teams, and supporting personnel such as translators, can join, observe and contribute to the interview remotely.

So what is the right tool for the job, as not all online video communication tools are the same. Should departments and agencies use solutions that have been designed to suit hundreds of different use cases or are there software tools that can meet the needs of law enforcement more effectively?

 

Building the Future of Remote Response

Kent Police’s RVR pilot has sparked significant interest among other forces, particularly as police departments globally are looking for ways to modernise and scale their services in the face of financial and staffing pressures. If implemented more broadly, RVR has the potential to transform policing, making response times faster and increasing operational effectiveness. With the right support and infrastructure, RVR could soon become a standard approach in addressing low-to medium-risk incidents across a variety of cases beyond domestic violence.

Yet, technology by itself cannot replace the nuanced approach needed for sensitive cases. The success of RVR will ultimately depend on a balanced model that uses video technology when appropriate and ensures an in-person response for high-risk situations. As such, police forces will need to continuously evaluate the effectiveness of RVR, ensuring that the technology supports rather than compromises victim wellbeing.

Has your police department considered using Rapid Video Response?