FEBRUARY 25, 2021 - Allen Police Department (APD) gave its first-year review of SPIDRTech, a new software that enhances communication between Allen Police Department and the people they serve.
Deputy Chief Ken Myers presented the review to City Council in January.
“The ability for the Police Department and Animal Services to establish effective communications with the community we serve is important to delivering the highest quality services possible,” said Deputy Chief Myers.
“This software not only enhances our communications with the community but provides a means in which residents can provide valuable feedback to us about the services we provide.”
As public expectations continue to shift, SPIDRTech helps APD respond to the increasing demand for real-time service notifications and communication. APD is the first agency in Texas to use SPIDRTech’s call acknowledgement feature and survey module. We’re also the first agency in the Nation to implement the software for Animal Services.
SPIDRTech is initiated when a caller requests service from Allen Police or Animal Services. For example, if you’re involved in a car accident and you call 911, SPIDRTech sends an automated text message with your assigned call-for-service number. Based on the call type, you may receive additional custom text notifications. The service also sends you a delay notification if staff is not dispatched within 15 minutes. When the service call is cleared, the caller is texted a short survey about the service received.
Service ratings based on survey results
In its first year of using SPIDRTech (Jan. 20, 2020 to Jan. 19, 2021), APD sent a total of 24,468 text messages to phone callers and sent 11,151 surveys following service calls. From the 2,372 survey responses, APD received these results.
- Satisfaction with the person who answered the initial call: 4.79 of 5
- Overall satisfaction with service provided by APD: 4.70 out of 5
- Officer(s) was helpful and responsive to the call: 4.68 out of 5
- Respondent feels safe living / being in the city of Allen: 4.5 out of 5
What’s next for SPIDRTech?
This year APD will implement new software to accommodate criminal investigation efforts including case assignments and updates, and a general crime investigation webpage.
