INCLUSIVE POLICING
POLICE speaks to PC Babs Rock from the Met on how she came up with the idea of creating a Multi Faith Engagement App for police across the UK
BUILDING FAITH
A pioneering police officer, passionate about making a difference to protecting and serving faith communities has invented an app to help the service build public confidence.
PC Babs Rock, a faith liaison officer in the Met, started her career in the police service five years ago as a response officer, before branching out into Safer Schools and the specialist role she finds herself in today. It wasn’t long before she noticed there was a gap when it came to supporting faith communities. Speaking to POLICE, she said: “Being in response policing on the frontline showed me truly how diverse our capital city is, it also showed me as an organisation we weren’t ticking all the boxes when it came to serving communities and that we could do even more to ensure that trust and confidence.” She acknowledged how officers
are respectful and willing to learn, but witnessed occasions where there was uncertainty when it came to responding appropriately to incidents such as those which took place within a place of worship. “I saw how important it
feature of the app which helps with the reduction of crime and improved victim support.
“One of the most important features of the app is ‘Tell Your Faith Liaison Officer’,” she said. “My team was finding out about crimes in places of worship three days after it had happened, because there is no dedicated flag on our system, stating
worship, then in turn I could give preventative talks to them.” The app also features a counter-
terrorism section, an information portal highlighting to officers the common signs and symbols to look out for that cover the extreme right wing and extreme left wing. There is a step-by-step guide on how to make a prevent referral.
was to highlight to officers certain things to build public confidence,” she explained. PC Rock took action and created a Faith Etiquette Guide, an A4-sized document to send to certain departments, but felt like it was “death by email”, and not the most effective way to get information to police officers. With help from the force’s Digital, Data
“I am hoping the more officers and staff use it the more likely we are to ensure restoration of trust and confidence, reduction of crime and improved victim support, to name but a few benefits.”
it had happened in a place of worship. When you are addressing a place of worship, you are not just addressing a community member, you are addressing the entire community.” The app allows users to click on the Tell
and Technology Department, and approval from the senior leadership team, the Multi Faith Engagement App was born. One element shows a calendar of events, including anniversaries of events which could cause community tensions and could involve demonstrations, to assist with operational planning, and a clear list of dos and don’ts in places of worships as well as facts about different religions. PC Rock was keen to highlight a key
10 | POLICE | AUGUST | 2024
Your Faith Liaison Officer button and put a reference number in. It then sends an email to all faith liaison officers in London. “This is fantastic as it means I don’t just
learn about crimes on my own patch, but also, I now know what is happening the other end of London,” PC Rock added. “That is good because it helps me identify patterns that could spread out further into my area. “For instance, it could show an increase in burglaries at places of
Although made for the Met, the app is available to all police officers nationwide and can be downloaded on both the national police catalogue of apps and the MPS catalogue of apps. “The app is convenient,
easy to use and an accessible one. I am hoping the more
officers and staff use it the more likely we are to ensure restoration of trust and confidence, reduction of crime and improved victim support, to name but a few benefits,” PC Rock continued. “From my perspective I am grateful;
grateful for the opportunity to make an app for an organisation as important as the MPS, grateful for the fantastic, talented people I work with, grateful for excellent leadership for giving me the approval and support to do this and finally grateful that I live in such a wonderful diverse capital where I get the opportunity to learn about people’s beliefs and culture. “I hope with time the London Fire Brigade and the London Ambulance Service will also have the app.”
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