ITDS | SPMS

A COMMUNITY POLICING MOBILE APPLICATION FOR THE GHANA POLICE FORCE

Project Description
Supervisor

Security and crime-related issues have become rampant most urban areas across the world. This study research aimed to examine the challenges stakeholders face in crime reporting and develop a mobile-based application that would support intelligence information and real-time reporting. The study employed some requirement elicitation techniques to develop the proposed mobile application. Primary data was gathered from members of the public and police officers. The survey design made use of structured questionnaires which were administered to respondents independently, followed by developing a mobile application aimed at sealing the loopholes identified. Consequently, the application was tested for usability by both the public and police officers. The test was successful and all key operation tests had positive and acceptable outcomes. The study therefore indicated that, the current crime reporting method has numerous failures, which is associated with late response to criminal cases, inaccuracy in documentation of acts, non-coordinate specific response by the police, longer duration for response, hence slow or no resolution of issues raised by the public and human resource-related issues such as bribes before the police can act on reported cases. The viability of the phone-based reporting was justified by the presence of more than half (85%) of the sampled population owning and being able to use smartphone which would support the application. The findings of the study concluded that the current crime reporting and information collection system are part of the problem that negates the policing sector hence encouraging criminal acts. Finally, the study recommends that if the application will be used by the sector, then it is highly required for police officers to conduct training on the usage and massive education and awareness to the public as it presents a viable tool for solving crime, improving intelligence collection and reducing resource waste in the entire policing value chain.

Mobile App Development: Mobile App Development research in Computer Science and Information Technology focuses on the design, development, and optimization of software applications for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. This area covers a wide range of topics, including user interface design, cross-platform development, mobile operating systems, performance optimization, and security. One key aspect of research in this area is the development of efficient algorithms and frameworks that enable seamless cross-platform compatibility. Researchers explore ways to create apps that function smoothly on multiple operating systems, such as Android and iOS, using a single codebase, reducing development time and costs. This is often achieved through the use of frameworks like React Native, Flutter, and Xamarin. User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design are critical components of mobile app development research. Scholars in this field investigate how to create intuitive, responsive, and engaging interfaces that improve usability and enhance the overall user experience. This includes studying interaction patterns, accessibility, and how users interact with mobile apps across different devices and environments.