Secured by Design member company uWatch is working with community groups by utilising an intelligence-sharing app, WeWatch. A statement from SBD tells members:

Established in 2014, uWatch has been working with frontline officers and local communities to understand their need for better methods of sharing intelligence regarding crime and suspicious activities, which has in recent times been collated via social media platforms and WhatsApp.

SMARTPHONE POWER

Harnessing the power of the smartphone and the WeWatch app, local watch groups and organisations can now begin gathering intelligence from their members regarding a number of subjects, such as suspicious vehicles, fly tipping, stolen goods, antisocial behaviour and much more.

This can then be shared to the group’s local officers, providing them channels with which to engage with the community. Police intelligence officers can request access to select types of intelligence from the groups to help them look for trends, hotspots or patterns and even receive alerts should a vehicle they are watching for be spotted.

Organised crimes of theft often involve a vehicle, and the Suspicious Vehicle feature on the WeWatch app turns the millions of mobile phones across the UK into mobile ANPR Cameras.

This makes it very simple for members of the community to record and report vehicles acting suspiciously or parked in unusual places, without the need to make phone calls. The intelligence from WeWatch arrives with the local Watch Controller or police officers in 6 seconds.

“It’s a serious game changer,” said Craig Geerthsen, Business Development Manager of uWatch. “The ability for local groups to collect this intelligence and deliver it quickly to others in their group and to local intelligence officers is critical to helping support local watch groups, such as Neighbour Watch, and could even ease the burdens placed on 101.

“The ability to view the data in real time with GPS locations, dates and times without needing to spend hours combing through messages and pages give intelligence officers a real overview about what is happening in the local community,” added Craig.

Ruari Robertson, Secured by Design, said: “I am delighted that uWatch have added new features to their portfolio that have attained our Secured Connected Devices accreditation. Their approach to the use of technology, particularly within rural settings, is a testament to their innovation within this field.”

ACCREDITED PRODUCTS

You can find out more about uWatch and their Secured by Design accredited products on their dedicated member page.

Secured by Design (SBD) is owned by the UK Police Service with the specific aim of reducing crime and increasing safety for businesses and individuals.

SBD seeks to improve the physical security of buildings and the surrounding area using products such as doors, windows, locks and walling systems along with fencing systems that meet the SBD Police Preferred Specification security requirements.

SBD have many partner organisations, ranging from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities through to local authorities, housing associations, developers and manufacturers and work closely with standards and certification bodies.

SBD is the only way for companies to obtain police recognition for security-related products in the UK, through the Police Preferred Specification – a product-based accreditation scheme developed over 20 years ago, which provides a recognised standard for all security products that effectively deter and reduce crime. SBD work with manufacturers and standards authorities to ensure that security standards are current and updated to keep pace with emerging crime trends.

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