Grant for computer program (PC COPS) to link police with the community

11/7/97

A revolutionary communication system which will provide the Western Australia Police Service with a means to alert homes and business throughout the State has received a $100,000 grant through a national anti-crime campaign.

Police Minister John Day said the 'Personal Computer Community Organisation Prevention System' (PC COPS) was a national first and a major achievement that would enhance the crime-fighting partnership between the community and police.

Mr Day said the computer program, which provided a telephone link between police and the community, had been recognised by the National Campaign Against Crime and Violence (NCAVAC). The WA initiative is earmarked for future use throughout Australia.

Today Federal Attorney General Daryl Williams announced a $100,000 funding grant from NCAVAC to assist the WA Police Service develop PC COPS State-wide.

Mr Day said PC COPS had not been designed to replace the human face of policing, but rather for the Police Service to develop a closer working relationship with the community through an effective and efficient communication tool.

"In the future PC COPS will provide a vital two-way communication link between police and the local community," he said.

"Anyone in the State will be able to access the telephone service for information on local crime trends and crime prevention and police will have a direct avenue to quickly warn the public of an impending emergency or disaster."

Mr Day said that in addition to violence and crime prevention information and police warnings, PC COPS could relay information from many other organisations, such as Fire and Rescue Service and Bush Fire Brigades, State Emergency Service, local government and Police and Citizens' Youth Clubs.

"The roles to which this system can be extended are limited only by the imagination of the user and the computer programer," he said.

"For example, PC COPS can be programmed to contact all the homes and businesses in a specific street, suburb or even throughout a country town if need be."

Mr Day said the funding grant from the NCAVAC would provide the necessary resources to develop PC COPS technology to enable communities throughout WA to be serviced by the system.

The grant also provided for a comprehensive evaluation on the system to serve as a blueprint for the introduction of this unique communication system on a national level.

The Minister praised the work of Mr Norm Hepburn and his research team for developing the PC COPS system in conjunction with Sgt Bob Phipps from the WA Police Service.

"It is a credit to Mr Hepburn and local community groups like the Armadale Neighbourhood Watch and local Rotary clubs that their role in developing this revolutionary crime-fighting initiative has now achieved national recognition," he said.

Media contact: Mark Thompson 322 2311