College of Policing: Enhanced Video Response
Working with academics from Cambridge University, Dorset Police has established the use of an initial virtual response to victims of crime. The introduction of Enhanced Video Response (EVR) builds on the Rapid Video Response RCT1 successfully piloted within Kent Police. Implemented through a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT), the initiative supports the Dorset Chief Constable’s drive to improve how the force responds to the public and investigates crime2.
Enhanced Video Response (EVR) gives victims the opportunity to speak to an officer over live video rather than seeing them in person. A victim-led approach, where there is no immediate threat, risk or harm requiring officers to attend in-person there and then. The initiative was trialled over a four-month period and 89 per cent of victims who took part said they would recommend it to others.
Dorset Police say that using EVR for taking statements and carrying out enquiries has increased efficiency for the force and reduced vehicle costs, as there is less need for officers to travel.3
The design and outcomes of the trial are detailed below.
The study design imbedded a virtual offering for all calls that were assessed as non-urgent. Once allocated as a non-urgent call, a risk assessment was completed by the call taker which captured the victim’s wish of an in-person or virtual response, along with ensuring a virtual deployment was safe. If the eligibility criteria were passed, the log was switched over to the EVR Sergeant by a dedicated control room supervisor.
Of the 1059 victims who opted for a virtual response (or who were eligible), 60% of victims were assigned a virtual response, and 40% were assigned to a BAU physical response from officers. This assignment was randomised. There was an even split of crime types, for example, retail crime, high risk DA offences, stalking and harassment, fraud and historic sexual offences.
When the EVR team were on duty, they (on average) conducted an investigation within 1.28 hours of the call, compared to the BAU time of 203.10 hours. The EVR team worked 3,158.9 hours compared to 48,821 hours in the control group – however, EVR were (on average) 17.7 days faster responding to the caller and commencing an investigation.
| BAU | EVR | |
|---|---|---|
| Victim withdrawn | 36.0% | 21.0% |
| Victims supported at the end of primary investigation | 45% | 75% |
| Positive Outcomes (perpetrator charge, report to court or out of court disposal) | 1.5% | 4.9% |
| Total incidents still under investigation | 19.0% | 10.0% |
| Arrests | 6.3% | 10.6% |
Table 1: Effect of the intervention on policing outcomes
The EVR response was 96.8% compliant with primary investigation standards whilst the control sample was 67% compliant.
81% of victims in the EVR cases were satisfied with the initial officer who dealt with their report compared to 46% for the control cases.
78% of EVR cases said they were satisfied with the time it took police to respond to their call, this was 24% for the control cases.
67% of EVR cases said they were satisfied with the outcome of their report compared to 27% of the control sample.
This is now part of the Dorset Police operating model, available for victims across shifts every day. To date, over 10,000 victims have received this service and a baseline efficiency saving of over £1.7m has been realised.
Chief Constable Amanda Pearson said “I am proud of the innovative and evidence-based approach Dorset Police have taken to deliver an even better service to victims of crime through EVR. By applying academic research to delivering operational policing and responding to the public, we have been able to show an exciting alternative approach using digital technology to provide victims of crime with options that meet their needs and achieves a timely and efficient service”.
EVR has now been adopted by the College of Policing under the Centre for Police Productivity4 which aims to improve data exploitation and innovation. A larger scale RCT has been conducted in a neighbouring force, which has found similar results to the Dorset trial. A few forces nationally and internationally are now looking to implement EVR within their organisations.
If your force is interested in implementing EVR, please contact: enhancedvideoresponse@dorset.pnn.police.uk
