Devon and Cornwall Police: new non-urgent incident app launched

People should always call 999 in an emergency

A new app which enables people across Devon and Cornwall to digitally contact police has been launched.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the Police.UK app gives people an additional way to report non-urgent crimes and incidents.

Assistant chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police Nikki Leaper said the app was not a replacement for other ways of contacting the force.

"If it is an emergency the public should always call 999," she said.

Puts victim in control

The app offers crime prevention advice, information on local police contacts and an opportunity to compare crime rates in different parts of the country.

It was created by the National Police Chiefs' Council's Digital Public Contact Programme.

Ms Leaper said the police wanted to "make it as easy as possible" for the public to make contact.

"Being able to report something digitally, via the app, puts the victim or witness in control and avoids the need to talk, in person, to someone they have never spoken to before," she said.