New app helps Hartlepool people to contact Cleveland Police and force commissioner

Police serving Hartlepool have launched a mobile phone app to give residents another opportunity to engage officers and the area’s commissioner.
By Tom Patterson
Published 26th Sep 2022, 17:25 BST
Updated 26th Sep 2022, 17:30 BST

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Cleveland Online Policing App (COPA) is now available for download after an idea spearheaded by Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner was developed by digital agency Alt Labs and in partnership with Cleveland Police.

COPA will provide routes for people to report crime to Cleveland Police by directing them to the force’s website and via an emergency 999 call button.

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Users will also be able to raise community-wide concerns, provide feedback and get access information about victim support services.

From left, Alt Labs chief executive Imran Anwar, Cleveland Police Assistant Chief Constable Paul Waugh and Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner.From left, Alt Labs chief executive Imran Anwar, Cleveland Police Assistant Chief Constable Paul Waugh and Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner.
From left, Alt Labs chief executive Imran Anwar, Cleveland Police Assistant Chief Constable Paul Waugh and Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner.

Mr Turner said: “It has been my vision since deciding to run to become Police and Crime Commissioner to give residents the option to engage with police via a smartphone app.

“It makes complete sense to me that we utilise the developments in technology, not to replace existing methods of contacting police, but complementing and supporting them.”

He added: “Through COPA, we can reduce demand on the police and direct people to the correct organisation for non-policing matters – improving the service communities receive.

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Mr Tuner says it was feedback from communities about contacting Cleveland Police that prompted him to consider introducing a smartphone app, as well as the growing demand on the force from the 101 non-emergency number.

Between April and June 2022, Cleveland Police received 57,922 non-emergency calls – an increase of 10% on the three months prior.

COPA can be downloaded from Apple via https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/copa/id1638356129 for android devices via https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.clevelandpcc.reporting