Littoralis has announced details of its new app for DISC, the company’s secure information-sharing system for crime management and reduction.
After over 18 months of development, the app is scheduled for release to all DISC users, free, in the new year.
DISC (Database & Intranet for Safer Communities) is an online information sharing system for local crime reduction partnerships and retail security companies, with over 120 users throughout the country, covering more than 180 towns, city-centres, rural areas and major shopping centres.
The new app builds on experience gained by Littoralis from the smartphone version of DISC. Launched over three years ago, the ‘mobile responsive’ version will continue to be supported and available to DISC users.
Littoralis director Charlie Newman says: “DISC has always been available ‘in the hand’ where and when users want it. But the new app takes all that to another level. It delivers all the convenience of the mobile version, but with completely new functions that can only be delivered through an app. It makes DISC a truly invaluable business tool, as well as a real weapon for crime-reduction.”
For reporting crimes, incidents and intelligence, users browse the app to find the Offender, tap on their mugshot, select the required function, and complete the report, optionally using their smartphone’s built-in image-capture and speech-to-text functions. Users can also switch on ‘Push Notifications’ to be alerted of anything urgent or important as soon as it’s added to the DISC app, even when the app is closed.
The ‘My Premises’ button provides app users with one-tap access to their own private area of DISC where they can view and manage all the incidents that they and their team have submitted, together with a range of analytical reports.
Charlie Newman stresses the app harnesses functionalities within the smartphone such as the built-in camera and voice-to-text features; and that the developers are using the app to link with third-party products and systems outside DISC which the firm has no intention of building themselves.
The link to WhatsApp groups, widely used by crime reduction partnerships, is an example. “WhatsApp is an invaluable tool for crime-reduction partnerships. We don’t recommend the use of WhatsApp for sharing personal data for commercial purposes because of compliance with the Data Protection Act. But where a DISC partnership supports a compliant WhatsApp group, the App can enable simple, immediate access to it.”
In the same way, Littoralis is keen to integrate the app with private local radio networks, as used by crime-reduction partnerships. Its Push-to-Talk button means that users can link through to their local radio network without the need for an expensive radio handset. Littoralis is discussing integrating the system with some radio network suppliers.
While Littoralis is committed to continuing to support the existing ‘mobile responsive’ version of DISC, Newman believes that most DISC users will adopt the new app in preference. “The mobile responsive version will continue to be popular among users, but we expect many or most of them to adopt the new app which, like the mobile responsive version, will be free of charge.”
The new app is configured and controlled through the DISC Admin Centre, accessible only to each local Administrator, which will continue to be a desk-top or tablet-delivered component of DISC. Newman adds: “At the heart of every DISC system is a human administrator. We believe that’s essential to ensure each DISC system is set up to precisely suit each individual partnership, and to ensure all-important compliance with the Data Protection Act.”
