New technology helps to revolutionise abuse disclosures

A new digital solution has revolutionised the way police in Durham process disclosures about a person's violent or abusive past to protect future victims.

The new system was developed by leading intelligence automation and artificial intelligence service provider Robiquity on behalf of Durham Constabulary, and funded by the County Durham and Darlington PCC, to streamline the way requests made under Clare's Law are managed.

It was announced as the UK marks 16 Days of Action Against Domestic Violence - a global campaign running from November 25 to December 10 raising awareness of the need to take action to end domestic violence and gender-based abuse.

Clare's Law, also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS), gives members of the public the right to ask the police if their current or ex-partner may pose a risk to them.

It is named after Clare Wood, who was murdered by her abusive ex-boyfriend in 2009, and rolled out across England and Wales in 2014.

Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen provided funding worth just over £10,000 to Robiquity to develop a new centralised solution allowing the force to store all data under Clare's Law in one place. 

The technology automatically manages each stage of the disclosure process at the click of a button and provides notifications of approaching deadlines to alert officers when the information is due. Under Home Office guidance, police forces have 28 days to disclose information under the scheme.

The system also allows officers to record notes on each application which assists with the tracking of disclosures and provides a clear trail for auditing. 

Previously, time was lost because data was stored in multiple platforms. This resulted in duplication and increased the risk of human error due to information needing to be updated and calculated manually.

Before the new system was launched, the average days to disclosure was 18 (January to April 2024) compared to 16 when the app went live (between May and October 2024).

The total number of applications received by the force between January and October 2024 was 1,184.

Acting Detective Inspector Katy Chaney, from Durham Constabulary's Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), said: "Every incident of domestic or sexual abuse is one too many - nobody should have to suffer abuse and violence at the hands of another.

"Our role as police officers and staff is to protect vulnerable people and keep them safe from harm, and we will use all powers available to us to do this. 

"A recent HMICFRS report highlighted areas where we needed to do better, including taking steps to improve the timeliness of our response to Claire's Law applications.

"By investing in this new technology, we are now able to more efficiently deliver potentially life-saving disclosures to some of the most vulnerable people in County Durham and Darlington.

"Anyone who is worried that their partner may have a history of abuse or are a risk to them should make an application for disclosure."

The new system features built-in dashboards providing instant statistics for use when completing returns to His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMISFRS). 

Carol Whicher, Clare’s aunt, who has campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness around the law in the UK said: "My hope is that this excellent work can be rolled out all over the UK to help protect those who are at risk and stop another family going through what we have. If this prevents even one person suffering the same fate Clare did, then this project is a success."

Officers also receive an automatic email notification when an application has been assigned to them.

In other improvements, the system separates active and inactive applications, providing live information as to what stage an application is at. It also automatically generates disclosure documents and letters, avoiding the need for them to be manually completed.

Commissioner Allen said: "Tackling domestic abuse and gender-based violence is a key priority for me and I have invested in a raft of proactive measures to increase the safety of victims. 

"The force recognised the need to improve the efficiency of its Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme to protect potential victims and prevent abuse. I was pleased to offer my support, commissioning Robiquity to design a solution that has not only increased the speed at which disclosures are made but has also freed up valuable police time to spend on other frontline duties.

"Every victim of abuse or sexual violence is one too many. Any action we can take to prevent these offences happening in the first place and protect victims from serial abusers must be grasped at the earliest opportunity."