PSNI launches video call pilot for crime victims

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has launched a new pilot scheme to allow victims of crime to speak with police officers via a video call.

The four-week pilot, which is called Virtual Officer Attendance, officially launched on Wednesday.

The PSNI said the introduction of a video call option offers people an alternative to traditional phone calls or in-person visits with police officers.

The new service, which is conducted by a specialist team at Castlereagh Police Station in Belfast, involves a team of specially trained officers.

The PSNI said the initiative would allow officers to talk to victims, take statements, and collect digital evidence like photos or videos during a secure video call.

"This pilot will give victims further choice in how they interact with police and if the victim prefers to see an officer in person, they will still have this option made available to them," the PSNI said.

Victims can choose this option instead of a telephone or in-person visit, but in-person attendance at a police station is still available if preferred, the police said.

• The victim must be 18 years or older. If the victim is 17 or under, they can still use the service but must have an appropriate adult present during the call.

• The victim must be involved in a crime where there is no immediate threat, risk, or harm

• The alleged offender of the reported crime must not be present during the video call.

• The victim must have access to a smartphone, tablet, or other device with a camera and have access to 4G or Wi-Fi. The service will not use the victim's mobile data allowance, so there is no cost to them.

Asst Ch Con Ryan Henderson said the service is part of the PSNI's efforts to modernise and offer more choice to the public.

"In a modern world, these options can be far more suitable for members of the public to access, as well as reducing demand on our frontline officers, allowing them to focus on other time-sensitive matters," the senior officer said.

He said the pilot scheme was inspired by a similar scheme launched by Dorset Police in England back in 2023 and they have worked closely with them in order to launch their own scheme in Northern Ireland.

The PSNI said victim satisfaction with similar video calls rose sharply in Dorset following the introduction of the service, jumping from 31% to 74% in the first year, and 89% of those who requested the system said that they would highly recommend it to others.

The PSNI have said they will review the results of their own scheme following the completion of their four-week pilot, to decide whether or not to make the service a permanent option going forward.

Victim Support NI have welcomed the move, in a statement to BBC News NI the organisation said: "Criminal justice organisations have often been criticised by victims for poor communication and infrequent messaging, which can leave victims feeling unheard and uncared for.

"We welcome any developments which will improve this situation and allow for more frequent and tailored engagements with victims."

It added that the pilot scheme should "provide continuity of service" and that it will "improve customer relations" and "reduce attrition rates, where victims disengage from the criminal justice journey as they feel disconnected from a process which they don't understand and is full of delay."

Victim Support NI said that victims of crime often prefer to deal with their support workers over the phone or on digital video calls.

It added: "We are encouraged that victims will be given a choice in how they communicate with police".