Building trust in digital policing: a scoping review of community policing apps

Abstract

Perceptions of police trustworthiness are linked to citizens' willingness to cooperate with police. Trust can be fostered by introducing accountability mechanisms, or by increasing a shared police/citizen identity, both which can be achieved digitally. Digital mechanisms can also be designed to safeguard, engage, reassure, inform, and empower diverse communities. We systematically scoped 240 existing online citizen-police and relevant third-party communication apps, to examine whether they sought to meet community needs and policing visions. We found that 82% required registration or login details, 55% of those with a reporting mechanism allowed for anonymous reporting, and 10% provided an understandable privacy policy. Police apps were more likely to seek to reassure, safeguard and inform users, while third-party apps were more likely to seek to empower users. As poorly designed apps risk amplifying mistrust and undermining policing efforts, we suggest 12 design considerations to help ensure the development of high quality/fit for purpose Police/ Citizen apps.

The VSP App Adoption by Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) in Law Enforcement

“…Thus, information shared in the VSP app is highly confidential. This has supported the previous study by Elphick et al (2021) who found a significant relationship between anonymity and apps that tried to reassure users with words (such as mission statements) and apps that tried to protect users by allowing them to report things anonymously.…”

Digital policing in Nigeria: A study of Jigawa State Police Command

“…Carter and Grommon (2015) stressed that law enforcement agencies are increasingly using mobile computing, wireless mobile broadband technology, computer and internet systems to enhance their abilities. Web Sleuthing is used to motivate citizens to get involved in police-related activities or content (Elphick et al, n.d.). Also, artificial intelligence technologies (such as cloud computing, IOTs) are used for intelligence purposes (Feldstein, 2019).…”

Digital justice: A rapid evidence assessment of the use of mobile technology for offender behavioural change

“…Furthermore, concern was raised about the potential of using the app as a surveillance tool, for instance, to track whether a text was received. Elphick et al (2021) have described how apps can be used to increase police trustworthiness and citizens' willingness to cooperate with police. They argued that digital technologies can help to create shared identities and online communities and allow 'digital citizens' to participate in and challenge the practices of authorities and institutions.…”

“…Although not all of these considerations would apply in the current context, a number of them do. Elphick et al (2021) found that digital mechanisms:…”