IDENTICOM PROTECTS OXFORD CITY COUNCIL HOUSING WORKERS
Aware of the increasing threat to its housing officers from verbal and physical abuse, Oxford City Council has adopted Connexion2’s technically advanced lone worker protection, Identicom through Vodafone. As personnel frequently visit tenants and occasionally confront potentially abusive situations, the Council wanted to ensure that its staff had the ability to discreetly raise the alarm if threatened.
One of the few remaining councils to maintain its own housing stock, Oxford City Council’s housing department is responsible for managing 8,100 properties. Housing officers are required to deal with a host of related issues including anti-social behaviour, rent collection and arrears, neighbour nuisance, domestic violence and keeping pets.
Existing methods for lone worker safety relied on colleagues acting as a point of contract for personnel away from the office. A contact centre number was also available whereby staff could register when they left and returned to the office. However, registration was not always completed and also gave no indication as to a person’s movements when away from the workplace.
Aware of the need to update its lone worker protection, Oxford City Council’s Housing Department decided to investigate products that would enable lone workers to easily leave note of their whereaboutsand enable them to send out a discreet alert if threatened. Various lone worker alarm technologies were examined and it was decided to trial 14 Identicom devices for two months in conjunction with Vodafone’s network coverage. After a successful trial, which generated positive feedback, Oxford City Council increased the number to 22. Housing Officers, the Rent Collection team and Temporary Accommodation department are currently using Identicom with the Council planning to expand use to vulnerable frontline staff.
“The major benefits from our trial of Identicom were its ease of use and ability to make staff feel safer knowing that someone was there if needed”, says Simon Price, Tenancy Operations Manager at Oxford City Council. “Implementing Identicom means that we are able to manage teams more efficiently as we are aware of our personnel’s whereabouts at all times.As we have a better handle on what staff are doing, we will be able improve our service to the tenant by prioritising requirements”.
Identicom looks like a normal ID badge but contains alert function buttons and uses Vodafone’s Enhanced Location Based Services (ELBS) to accurately help locate the user. When activated, the device connects to a 24/7 emergency response service run by Connexion2 premier partner Orbis Monitoring, who can provide help immediately.
The device also has an amber alert button, which enables a timed audio recording to be made of visit details prior to an appointment. A red alert button raises the alarm and a voice channel opens immediately so a response centre operator can listen live, check the user’s location using Vodafone’s ELBS and retrieve the amber alert details. Appropriate and proportional action can then be taken. A recording is also made of the threat, abuse or violence, which can be used as evidence in any consequent court action.
“Identicom is less expensive that the other solutions we looked at and with the Government contract we have with Vodafone our costs are going to be further reduced”, concluded Simon Price.
In cases of verbal harassment and abuse, offenders often feel they are immune from legal prosecution, as a mobile phone cannot be relied upon to capture evidence of abuse. Mobile phones can easily be knocked from the hand leaving an employee vulnerable to attack. Identicom not only enables the lone worker to covertly raise an alarm if threatened, but also allows a third party to listen to what is happening and record events whatever the distance. Ends
