October 5, 2021 5.24 pm This story is over 29 months old

PCC gets funding to protect Lincoln women with CCTV tracker app

Women could request CCTV coverage via a mobile app
Inside the Lincoln CCTV Control room. | Photo: CoLC
By Local Democracy Reporter

Some £400,000 of government funding will go into making the streets of Lincoln safer for women, including the development of a phone app which enables women to be monitored by CCTV on their walks home.

Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones bid for funding for the scheme, which has now been given government backing.

The money will come from the government’s safer streets fund and will include developing curriculum materials for key stage five which promote women’s rights, encouraging more reporting of crimes and broadening Lincoln city centre’s CCTV coverage.

As well as this, a campaign will be funded to change attitudes and challenge social norms based on gender stereotypes, plus promoting positive behaviour in society.

Part of the plan will see a mobile app developed which would enable users to make their location known to City of Lincoln Council’s CCTV control room, meaning that they can be monitored to ensure safety.

All elements of the plan will be co-developed with women and girls as well as experts in the field, in response to the tragic case involving Sarah Everard, when Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens kidnapped, raped and murdered her during a walk home in London earlier this year.

Police & Crime Commissioner Marc Jones. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

This bid is the third successful safer streets bid for Lincolnshire so far, with PCC Marc Jones bringing £500,000 in additional funding for projects in the north and east coast of the county.

Mr Jones said: “The project is one of the most significant steps ever taken to protect women and girls in Lincoln.

“It is designed to tackle the problem of keeping them safe through education, technology, training, heightened awareness and partnership working and I hope this holistic approach will provide long lasting solutions.

“This is just one step on a journey towards ensuring women and girls can be and feel safe but I believe it is a very important one.”