Evil In Our Homes: On-the-spot electronic AVOs latest weapon against DV offenders

Police will have instant access to records via a device with which they can serve electronic AVO’s and build a case in real time as they rescue domestic violence victims from immediate danger.

Police on the ground will be issued with a new device that allows them to serve AVO’s electronically, on-the-spot, record evidence and build their case in real time as they rescue victims from immediate danger.

The Mobipol device — soon to be rolled out to 13,000 police officers — is an all-encompassing, specially-designed phone that can give police immediate access to interstate records, predetermine the appropriate conditions of an AVO and then electronically serve the AVO on a perpetrator via email within minutes.

The device also contains a “user-guide” for responding to domestic and family violence matters and provides officers with a threat assessment in real time.

“We surveyed 2000 first responders and have developed technology which extends capability responding to the nation’s worst crime type,” Assistant Commissioner Tony Crandell exclusively told the Saturday Telegraph.

“For some time front line police have been taking two to four hours in DV matters just to complete the paperwork, and this is generally back at the station.

The device will be rolled out to 13,000 officers. Picture: Supplied

“This process has been driven by an excessive court process, the need to fill out questionnaires by various agencies and often inherent factors facing our young police attending DV matters, such as mental health, substance abuse, child neglect, levels of violence.

“We are developing a solution to cutting paperwork, and this technology makes that happen, it’s very exciting.”

Mr Crandell said police in the field want the ability to issue AVOs on the spot, not return a couple of hours later when the perpetrator may be gone, and the victim may have second thoughts.

“They want the ability to interact on the spot and put protections in place for victim survivors,” he said.

CUTTING THE PAPERWORK

Mr Crandell said the Mobipol can be used in addition to body-worn cameras, and boasts specific features to keep police mobile and cut their paperwork: a better outcome for everyone.

“It allows police to record the victim’s evidence at the scene of a domestic violence offence,” he said.

“While they are talking to them, they have the ability to read on the screen the mandatory questions they need to ask, it then transcribes and auto populates the crime report, pre-empts the AVO and checks agency and inter-agency information, so they can concentrate on the management of the victim/survivor and the perpetrator.

“For example it’s mandatory for officers turning up to a domestic violence situation to ask whether there are any firearms on the premises and if there are, they must conduct a search.

“They have to identify how many children are at the scene, if they are at risk, so they can now conduct a digital child protection assessment and get that situational awareness to a supervisor or Department of Community and Justice case worker with a digital brief of the situation around risk of serious harm to the children.

“Instead of hours of paperwork the assessment can take minutes automatically notifying other agencies of the threat assessment and the need for protection support.”

Mr Crandell, the boss of the Technology Command, said the NSW Police Force was also trialling reducing the number of mandatory questions that need to be asked at a DV scene by using technology to integrate an inter-agency threat assessment, meaning officers had more time to spend understanding the needs of the victim, offering support and referring to other supporting agencies.