From a challenge...
Providing citizens with zone relevant information could happen more quickly and efficiently. Therefore, enhancing the existing applications for certain police districts (‘LRH, Meetjesland & Het Houtsche’) with the newest technology and a better look and feel was required.
...to a solution…
The codes of the existing applications - Politie LRH, Politiezone Het Houtsche, PZ Meetjesland Centrum - were rebuilt from scratch since the old ones were not advantageous to fix bugs. However, the same level of functionality needed to be preserved, or at least not decrease. Depending on the zone, different functionalities to easily consult relevant information display. The applications consist of standard functionalities as searching nearby police offices or consulting news and emergency numbers. On top of that, citizens can consult an overview of lost properties, report issues, or join a zone-based network and communicate, or consult police provided information, with other network members about the happenings in their neighborhood. Police checks can be announced or feedback on previous checks can be shown. A missing person's notice can be consulted in the app as well.
...with impact.
As we speak, the improved applications with a new look and feel are undergoing some tests. We aim at more structured functionalities in these new versions, making it easier for citizens to consult zone relevant information and perform zone relevant actions. The next step in the development process is implementing new features for citizens and to lower the administrative workload of the police districts by featuring the app with intern usable functionalities.