Thames Valley Police has launched its first mobile app. 

The Thames Valley Alert app, which is available now for free on Android and iPhone, gives you the latest policing news relevant to your area.

It allows for the first time, the use of GPS (Global Positioning System) to target notifications straight to people wherever they happen to be in the Thames Valley.

These include notifications of road traffic collisions near to where you are, appeals for witnesses following recent crimes in your area, or information on a nearby major incident.

In addition to policing alerts, the app will:

Feed through the latest Thames Valley-wide news from the force Twitter account feed;

Provide members of the public with details of their nearest police station

The current Thames Valley Alert system has 105,000 subscribers.

Communications Manager, Claire Ingram, said: “We are constantly working to improve and modernise our communication and engagement with the public in a way that meets their needs and the Thames Valley Alert App is a great step forward in delivering this.

“We recognise that people want to-the-minute updated and relevant information and content, in an easily consumable form and the app has been developed with that in mind.

“It also provides a great opportunity for us to share our important messages more widely. Currently, people sign up to the Thames Valley Alerts system to receive updates on where they live in the Thames Valley. The location based service of the app, now makes the system relevant to anyone – whether you live, work or are simply visiting the region.”

Mike Douglas from VISAV, who have developed the new app with Thames Valley, added: “The development of the app with TVP has been a great example of how a forward-thinking force can provide and improve the service to the public in order to keep them safe. 

“Many of the other 19 forces that use Neighbourhood Alert are eagerly awaiting their version of the Thames Valley Alert App which TVP has pioneered.

Download the app from the App Store or Google Play Store by searching ‘Thames Valley Alert’.

To view a brief video in the new app, visit the Force’s YouTube account.