Hanoi (VNS/VNA) -Residents of Long Bien district in Hanoi can report suspected crimes or sendquestions to the police through an app on their smartphones.

The app, which acts as a bridgebetween police and local residents, was released in March last year to providebetter services.

Online chat rooms were openedto exchange information between police officers and residents.

Residents can report problemsto the police online. In ten months from March to December, more than 1,200reports of social issues were submitted.

On April 10, 2019, residentstook a picture of a motorbike parked in the district. Nobody knew the owner ofthe vehicle and the number plate was from another province.

The police sent the photo toresidents’ groups and asked them to review footage from surveillance cameras.

Thanks to the onlineinteraction, the motorbike was found to have been stolen. Police were then ableto return the bike to its owner.

Also in April 2019, aneight-year old student went missing after school. Through the app, the policewere able to find the missing child.

Between July and September2019, thanks to the help of residents, the district police arrested a woman forselling drugs.

Dinh Van Tong, Secretary of theParty Committee of Group 6, Long Bien ward, Long Bien district, said he couldchat with police officers and ask them for documents.

As of December 2019, there weremore than 3,000 online interactions related to administrative procedures,including those related to family, residence, motorbike and passportregistrations. Police have instructed residents to fill in the forms andprepare documents without having to go to the office.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen ThiNgoc Hoa, head of the Administrative Management Team of the local police, saidthe app makes it easier for residents to make reports.

Private chats with policeofficers make locals feel more comfortable in reporting crimes. Now residentsbecome inspectors, helping police address local issues, she said.

Before the app was launched,police had to come to every house to ask for information or disseminate lawsand policies, now the app helps save time. Residents can send information alongwith photos, she said.

Colonel To Anh Dung, head ofLong Bien district’s Police Division, said the application assists police insocial order management and increases interaction with residents. This helpspolice officers stay closer to residents.

The app has been applied in allwards of the district, he said, expecting that local authorities will be givenbetter smartphones to improve efficiency./.